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OLD  ENGLISH   FAIRY  TALES 


OLD 
ENGLISH   FAIRY  TALES 


COLLECTED    BY 


S.    BARING    GOULD,    M.A. 

AUTHOR   OF    "mEHALAH"    "  THE  TRAGEDY  OF   THE  CAESARS  ' 
"old  COUNTRY  life"  ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED   BY   F.   D.    BEDFORD 


METHUEN    &    CO. 

36    ESSEX    STREET,    W.  C. 

LONDON 

1895 


7- 


PREFACE 


It  has  been  to  me  a  matter  of  surprise  that  no 
collection  has  been  made  and  adapted  to  the  reading 
of  children  of  the  old  delightful  English  folk  tales 
and  traditionary  stories  that  exist,  scattered  up  and 
down  in  all  manner  of  places. 

We  have  had  for  their  delectation  numerous 
editions  of  the  French  tales  of  Perault  and  the 
Countess  D'Aulnoy,  and  the  German  stories  ot 
Grimm,  but  our  own  native  springs  have  been 
neglected.  There  is  a  singular  perversity  in  the 
English  character — that  it  will  seek  abroad,  and 
and  value  what  is  foreign,  and  neglect  and  disparage 
what  is  native.  This,  which  has  blighted  our  drama, 
our  music,  our  architecture,  affects  even  our  nursery 
literature.  Recently,  indeed,  Mr.  Jacobs  has  issued 
his  English  Fairy  Tales  in  two  volumes, — a  first  and 
second  series, — but  he  has  taken  mostly  modern 
folk  tales,  and  he  has  not  gone  to  the  ancient  sources, 
whence  may  be  drawn  some  of  the  best  old  English 
fairy  tales.      I  now  give  English  children   an   instal- 

5 


Preface 

ment  of  seventeen,  and  two  that  are  Welsh,  told  in 
my  own  way,  and  in  most  cases  expanded,  as 
I  have  seen  fit.  The  bare  bones  that  I  have 
attempted  to  reclothe  with  flesh  are  accessible 
to  antiquaries  and  bibliographers.  I  give  them 
references  where  to  find  these.  But  this  book  is 
not  written  for  them,  but  for  children,  be  it  well 
understood ;  and  it  is  written  by  one  who  as  a 
a  child  was  greedy  after  fairy  tales,  and  is  not 
ashamed  to  add,  loves  them  dearly  still.  If  I  have 
woven  two  and  even  more  tales  into  one,  or  in- 
troduced episodes  from  others,  then  I  have  used  that 
licence  which  belongs  to  every  old  woman  who  tells 
stories  to  children.  The  incidents  in  fairy  tales  are 
like  kaleidoscopic  particles,  ever  entering  into  new 
combinations.  If  English  children  like  native-grown 
tales,  then  let  me  assure  them  the  spring  is  not 
exhausted  ;   I  have  more  wherewith  to  supply  them. 

S.  BARING  GOULD. 

Lew  Trenchard,  N.  Devon. 


CONTENTS 


I.    CATSKIN      . 
II.    THE   GARDENER    PRINCE    . 
III.    THE    GOLDEN    BULL 
IV.    SOUTHERNWOOD     . 
V.    THE    shepherd's    DAUGHTER 
VI.    THE   TURKEY   FACTOR 
VII.    THE   UNDUTIFUL   DAUGHTER 
VIII.    THE   SHEPHERDS   OF  SALISBURY    PLAIN 
IX.    KING  HORN 

X.    HAVELOCK    AND   ARGENTILE 
XI.    THE    MAN    WITH    THE    BELL 
XII.    CADWALLON 
XIII.    THE   STORY   OF    KING    EDMUND 
XIV.    DESIDERATUS 
XV.    SIR   GREY,    SIR    GRAHAM,    AND    SIR    GREYSKIN 
XVI.    ROBERT   THE   EVIL 
XVII.    THE  CROWN   OF   WHITE   ROSES      , 
XVIII.    THE   BADGER   IN   THE   BAG 
XIX.    THE    FOUR    FRIENDS 


39 

61 

Si 

103 

123 

141 

159 
177 
195 
217 

235 
253 
^11 
293 
313 
351 

387 


SUBJECTS    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 


I.  Catskin — 

Catskin  dressing  in  the  barn  for  the  ball  .  .12 

II.  The  Gardener  Prince — 

Oriol  dissuading  Marcella  from  plucking  the  rose  .       43 

III.  The  Golden  Bull — 

The  Princess  steps  out  of  the  Golden  Bull  and  con- 
fronts the  three  ladies  of  the  court   .  .  .60 

IV.  Southernwood— 

Southernwood  discovers  the  true  Reeve  of  Lynn,  when 

in  search  of  the  golden  ball .  .  .  .80 

V.  The  Shepherd's  Daughter— 

Sweetpea  follows  William  to  London  for  justice  for 

the  loss  of  her  sheep,  which  his  dog  has  slain  .     102 

VI.  The  Turkey  Factor— 

The  Old  Grey  Man  of  the  Sea  .  .  .  .131 

VII.  The  Undutiful  Daughter— 

The  undutiful  daughter  has  her   fortune    told   by  the 

witch  of  Norwood      .....     140 

VIII.  The  Shepherds  of  Salisbury  Plain— 

Raymond    as    a    shepherd    and    Imogen    as    a    shep- 
herdess .  .  .  .  .  .15^ 

9 


Subjects  of  Illustrations 


IX.  King  Horn— 

Horn,  disguised  as  a  palmer,  takes  his  place  among  the 

beggars  at  the  gate  .  .  .  .       "      .     187 

X.  Havelock  and  Argentile — 

Argentile  wakes  to  see  flames  issuing  from  Havelock's 

mouth  ......     203 

XI.  The  Man  with  the  Bell — 

The  old  man  with  the  bell         .  .  .  .219 

XII.  Cadwallon — 

Brian  hides  the  brazen  horse  with  boughs,  and  sets  out 

for  York  as  a  beggar  ....     246 

XIII.  The  Story  of  King  Edmund — 

Thora  feeds  the  little  snake  with  milk  .  .  .     255 

XIV.  Desideratus— 

Desideratus  discovers  the  fair  maid  filling  the  golden 

bowls  ......     272 

XV.  Sir  Grey,  Sir  Graham,  and  Sir  Greyskin — 

Sir  Greyskin  conquers  Sir  Graham        .  .  .     292 

XVI.  Robert  the  Evil — 

Robert,  in  the  garden,  hears  a  voice  from  heaven,  and 

Starts  at  the  appearance  of  the  horse  and  armour     .     312 

XVII.  The  Crown  of  White  Roses — 

The  mason's  wife  leads  the  nobleman  to  the  trap  door, 

through  which  he  disappears  .  .  .     357 

xviii.  The  Badger  in  the  Bag 

Powel  leaves  his  knights  in  the  orchard,  and,  clad  as  a 

beggar,  sets  out  for  the  palace  .  .  .     366 

xix.  The  four  Friends — 

Wall,  son  of  Clud,  studying  the  Black  Art        .  .     386 

10 


I 

CATSKIN 


A  WEALTHY  nobleman  had  a  wife  whom  he  loved 
well.  He  was  most  ambitious  to  have  a  son  to 
whom  he  could  leave  his  name  and  his  titles.  But 
the  first  child  given  him  was  a  daughter. 

He  bore  his  disappointment  as  best  he  might. 
"  Let  us  hope,"  said  he,  "  that  the  next  will  be  a 
boy." 

After  about  a  twelvemonth  he  had  another  child, 
and  again  it  was  a  girl.  He  was  now  very  irritated, 
and  his  wife  could  not  get  him  out  of  his  sorr}' 
temper.  He  used  bad  words.  "  If,"  said  he,  "  the 
next  that  comes  be  a  girl,  I  will  turn  her  out  of  the 
house." 

A  year  passed,  and  then  the  nobleman's  wife  had 
another  baby,  and  again  it  was  a  girl. 

He  was  so  angry  that  he  would  not  look  at  it, 
and  his  wife  had  the  greatest  difficulty  in  persuading 
him  to  keep  the  child  at  home.  He  only  consented 
to  do  so  in  the  hope  that  his  next  child  might  be  a 


The  Old  English  Fairv  Tales 

boy.  He  used  worse  words  than  before.  But  one 
year  passed,  and  then  another,  and  then  a  third,  and 
no  other  children  arrived.  So  the  nobleman  became 
more  morose,  and  showed  great  dislike  to  his 
youngest  child,  because  she  was  a  girl  and  not  a 
boy.  So  from  bad  words  he  went  to  bad  acts.  He 
did  not  even  kiss  her,  or  speak  to  her  kindly. 
Nevertheless,  he  provided  that  she  should  be  well 
instructed,  and  he  gave  her  dresses  suitable  to  her 
rank. 

At  a  very  early  age  he  fulfilled  his  resolution  to 
have  her  sent  away.  She  was  confided  to  one  who 
had  ever  been  a  good  friend  to  her  mother  in  the 
country  far  away  from  home,  and  her  father  never 
went  to  see  her,  never  seemed  to  care  when  was  her 
birthday ;  he  regarded  her  as  an  encumbrance,  for 
whom  he  was  obliged  to  pay  money  to  have  her 
properly  dressed  and  fed  and  educated. 

Now  when  to  full  stature 

This  maiden  was  grown, 
And  found  from  her  father 

No  love  to  her  shown, 
She  cried,  "  I  no  longer 

Will  lie  'neath  his  frown  : 
I'm  resolved  to  travel 

The  land  up  and  down." 

Now  hearken,  good  people, 
The  cream  of  the  jest. 

In  what  sort  of  manner 
This  damsel  was  dressed. 

Of  catskins  she  made  her 
A  garment  all  hair, 

The  which  for  a  covering- 
She  daily  did  wear. 

14 


Catskin 

Her  own  rich  attire, 

Her  jewels  beside, 
All  up  in  a  bundle 

Securely  were  tied. 
And  seeking-  her  fortune 

Away  did  she  fare, 
With  cap  all  of  catskins 

About  her  brown  hair. 

Now  she  came,  in  this  singular  garment  made  all 
of  catskins,  after  a  long  walk,  to  a  castle  gate  near  a 
town,  and,  being  very  weary,  she  seated  herself  on 
the  steps  of  the  castle  gate.  The  time  was  winter, 
and  the  snow  lay  on  the  ground,  and  but  for  her 
warm  dress  of  catskins  she  would  have  perished. 

The  dogs  barked  furiously,  and  jumped  snarling 
and  snapping  about  her ;  they  thought  she  was  some 
strange  beast. 

Then  the  lady  of  the  castle,  hearing  the  noise, 
came  to  the  door,  and  she  ordered  the  dogs  to  be 
quiet.  She  wondered  at  seeing  one  dressed  all  in 
fur  seated  on  the  steps.  The  lady  asked  what 
manner  of  person  or  animal  that  was.  Then  the 
girl  stood  up  and  took  off  her  cap,  and  her  beautiful 
brown  hair  fell  down  over  her  shoulders,  and  the 
lady  saw  that  this  was  no  beast,  but  a  girl. 

She  said — 

"Whence  comest  thou,   maiden, 

And  what  wouldst  thou  have?" 
She  said,   "A  night's  lodging- 

In  your  stable  I  crave." 
The  lady  said  to  her, 

"I  grant  your  desire. 
Come  into  the  kitchen, 

And  stand  by  the  fire." 
15 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Then  she  thanked  the  lady, 

She  went  with  great  haste, 
And  there  she  was  gazed  on 

From  highest  to  least. 
And  being  well  warmed, 

Her  hunger  was  great, 
They  gave  her  a  plate 

Of  good  porridge  to  eat. 

And  then  to  an  outhouse 

The  damsel  was  led. 
Where  soon  in  the  fresh  straw 

She  made  her  a  bed. 
And  when  in  the  morning 

The  daylight  she  saw, 
Her  gowns  and  her  jewels 

She  hid  in  the  straw. 

Then  the  girl  came  into  the  kitchen,  and  asked  if 
she  might  do  some  service  there. 

The  cook  replied,  that  he  would  take  her  as  a 
scullion,  to  wash  up  the  dishes,  and  turn  the  spit, 
and  brush  out  the  ashes  in  the  oven. 

"What  sayest  thou,  maiden, 

Dost  thou  will  to  abide?" 
"With  all  my  heart  truly," 

To  him  she  replied. 

The  damsel  wore  only  her  habit  made  of  catskins, 
and  she  spoke  little  or  none,  and  would  say  nothing 
as  to  whence  she  came,  nor  what  was  her  name. 
So  the  cook  and  the  servants,  and  also  the  lord 
and  his  lady,  called  her  by  no  other  name  than 
Catskin. 

Time  passed,  and  Catskin  worked  hard  in  the 
kitchen,  and  was  gentle  and  obedient  and  obliging. 

l6 


Catskin 

Now  the  lord  of  the  castle  had  an  only  son,  a 
tall  and  handsome  young  man,  aged  twenty,  and  he 
was  wont  to  go  a-hunting  and  to  play  bowls ;  and 
Catskin  often  saw  him,  though  he  never  noticed 
her. 

It  fell  out  that  the  king  came  to  the  town,  and 
there  was  accordingly  much  entertainment  given  to 
him,  and  the  mayor  and  corporation  announced 
that  they  would  have  three  splendid  balls  in  the 
Guild  Hall  on  three  consecutive  nights  for  the 
entertainment  of  the  king.  The  nobleman's  son 
was  invited,  and  prepared  to  go. 

Then  Catskin  plucked  up  courage,  and  said  to 
the  lady,  "  I  pray  you,  madam,  suffer  me  to  go 
to  the  ball  to-night ;  I  have  worked  hard  for  a 
twelvemonth  and  a  day,  and  have  had  no  holiday 
pleasure." 

When  the  lady  heard  this,  she  was  very  angry, 
and  she  had  a  ladle  in  her  hand,  and  with  it  she 
struck  the  girl  on  the  back  with  such  force  that 
she  broke  the  ladle  in  two.  Thereupon,  crying, 
Catskin  ran  out  of  the  kitchen,  and  hid  herself  in 
the  barn. 

Presently  she  heard  a  sound  outside,  and,  jumping 
forth,  saw  the  young  nobleman  mount  his  horse  to 
go  away  to  the  ball. 

Now  one  of  the  serving-men  saw  Catskin's  face 
peeping  out,  so  he  ran  and  laid  hold  of  her,  drew 
her  forth  into  the  courtyard,  and  said  to  his  master 
"  See,  sir !  here  is  the  scullion  girl — she  has  been 
crying  that  she  would  go  to  the  ball." 
2  17 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Then  the  young  man  laughed,  and  said,  "Catskin, 
will  you  dance  with  me  ?  " 

She  answered,  "  Ah,  sir,  if  it  were  to  chance 
that  I  could  get  to  the  ball,  indeed  I  would." 

"  Be  it  so,  Catskin ;   I  shall  expect  you.". 

Then,  laughing  heartily,  he  rode  away. 

No  sooner  was  he  gone  than  Catskin  put  off  her 
fur  dress,  washed  herself,  combed  out  her  beautiful 
brown  hair,  that  she  wore  under  a  cap  from  which 
hung  seven  cats'  tails,  and  clothed  herself  in  fine 
linen  and  lace,  and  a  beautiful  silken  dress,  the 
colour  of  the  blue  sky  in  spring,  and  she  decorated 
her  hair  with  daisies.  And  when  thus  dressed,  she 
tripped  away  to  the  town,  and  was  admitted  into 
the  great  hall,  and  danced  that  evening  with  the 
young  nobleman. 

He  did  not  know  who  she  was,  but  he  thought 
that  she  was  the  most  beautiful  girl  he  had  ever 
seen. 

"The  dance  being  done, 

The  young  squire  did  say, 
*  Fair  lady,  where  live  you  ? 

Now  tell  me,  I  pray.' 
The  answer  she  made  him 

Was—"  Sir,  I  will  tell : 
At  the  sign  of  the  Ladle 

That  is  broken,   I  dwell.'" 

Now,  during  the  dance,  very  nimbly,  Catskin 
slipped  away,  and  hastened  over  the  fields  back  to 
the  castle,  went  into  the  barn,  and  threw  off  and 
concealed  her  silken  dress.  She  covered  herself 
again  with  catskins,  and  put  over  her  hair  the 
fur   cap   with    the    seven    pussy-cat    tails ;    and    was 

i8 


Catskin 

as  comical  an  object  as  ever.  Very  soon  also  her 
face  and  hands  were  grimy,  for  the  cook  was  going 
to  bake,  and  he  made  her  go  into  the  oven,  and 
brush  out  all  the  ashes  that  were  there.  You  may 
believe  me,  there  was  great  talk  among  the  servants 
about  the  beautiful  lady  in  the  sky-blue  silk  who 
had  danced  at  the  ball.  For  there  had  been  the 
serving-men  of  the  young  nobleman  there,  who  had 
attended  on  the  guests,  and  they  told  how  their 
master  had  danced  with  this  beautiful  and  unknown 
lady. 

Some  laughed  at  Catskin  and  said  to  her,  "  Hey, 
Catskin !  how  would  you  have  liked  to  be  there  ? 
That  would  have  been  rare  sport  to  see  you  with 
your  cat  tails  flying  about.  I  warrant  the  king 
would  have  led  you  out  to  dance  the  hay."  ^ 

"  Very  like  he  would,"  answered  Catskin.  Whereat 
all  fell  a-laughing  more  loudly  than  ever. 

Then  the  noble  mistress  of  the  house  came  into 
the  kitchen,  and  the  girl  went  before  her,  and  said, 
"  Dear  lady,  may  I  attend  the  ball  this  night  ?  The 
servants  say  that  the  king  will  dance  the  hay  with 
me  if  I  go."  Thereat  the  lady  was  so  wroth  and 
shamed  at  the  foolishness  of  the  scullion  girl,  that 
she  caught  up  a  skimmer  and  struck  her  on  the 
back  with  it,  and  broke  it  in  two. 

Catskin  ran  off  crying,  and  hid  in  the  straw,  till 
she  heard  a  stirring  in  the  court,  and  she  looked 
forth  at  the  door,  and  saw  that  the  young  lord  was 
mounting  to  ride  to  the  ball. 

She  was  again  noticed,  and  once  more  the  serv'ing- 

^  An  old  English  countrj'  dance. 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

men  drew  her  forth,  crying  and  abashed,  before  their 
master;  and  they  said  to  him,  "  See  !  here  is  Catskin, 
who  desires  to  dance  with  the  king." 

"  I  will  lay  my  life,  Catskin,"  said  the  young  man, 
"  if  you  appear  at  the  ball,  the  king  will  reckon  it 
rare  sport  to  dance  a  hay  with  you." 

Then  he  rode  away,  and  laughed  so  long  and  so 
loud,  that  she  could  hear  him  laughing  after  he  was 
out  of  her  sight. 

So  soon  as  she  could  hear  no  more  of  his 
laughter,  then  Catskin  went  back  into  the  barn,  she 
washed  herself,  combed  out  her  beautiful  hair,  and 
she  wove  a  wreath  of  lilies  of  the  valley  and  put  it 
on  her  head,  and  she  dressed  herself  in  finest  linen 
and  lace,  and  put  over  her  a  gown  of  green  silk  like 
the  lawns  in  early  May. 

And  as  she  came  forth  from  the  barn,  she  heard 
all  the  bells  of  all  the  churches  ringing,  for  that  the 
king  was  passing  through  the  streets  going  to  the 
ball.  So  she  hasted  and  reached  the  town,  and  fell 
in  with  the  train  of  the  king's  court  and  entered  the 
Guild  Hall  with  his  nobles  and  ladies,  and  when  she 
came  in,  her  beauty  outshone  that  of  all  the  ladies, 
and  her  dress  was  more  lovely  than  that  of  any 
noble  or  his  dame  who  was  present. 

Now  it  happened  that  the  king  turned  and  saw 
this  fair  maid  in  grass  -  green  gown  with  lilies  of 
the  valley  on  her  head,  and  he  at  once  came  up  to 
her  and  asked  if  he  might  open  the  ball  with  her, 
and  dance  a  hay.  Catskin  was  looked  upon  with 
envy  and  surprise  by  all  the  ladies,  and  they  said  to 
each  other,  "  Who  can  this  be  ?  " 

20 


Catskin 

Now  the  young  nobleman  was  all  impatience  for 
the  dance  of  the  hay  to  be  ended,  that  he  might  ask 
the  unknown  lady  for  her  hand. 

As  soon  as  he  could,  he  went  to  her,  and  asked 
her  to  tread  with  him  a  galliard.  And  as  they 
were  dancing,  he  said,  "  Surely,  fair  damsel,  you 
deceived  me  yesterday.  I  have  been  all  over  the 
town  inquiring  for  the  sign  of  the  Broken  Ladle, 
and  have  been  assured  there  is  none  such.  Tell 
me  now,  I  pray  thee,  where  thou  dwellest." 

Then  she  answered,  "  I  think,  fair  sir,  you  did  not 
look  near  enough  to  home.  If  you  desire  to  know 
my  lodging,  it  is  at  the  sign  of  the  Broken  Skimmer." 
Presently  she  slipped  away,  hurried  home,  hid  in  the 
barn,  and  took  off  her  beautiful  green  gown. 

Next  morning  she  appeared  in  her  catskin  dress 
as  usual,  with  the  cats'  tails  hanging  about  her  ears, 
and,  I  warrant  you,  was  soon  dirty  enough,  for  the 
cook  gave  her  a  muck-fork  and  bade  her  go  and 
clean  out  the  pigstyes. 

I  warrant  you,  also,  there  was  great  talk  among 
the  servants  that  day  about  the  strange  lady  with 
whom  the  king  had  opened  the  ball. 

And  the  cook  laughed  and  said,  "  Heigh,  Catskin  ! 
I  thought  he  was  to  have  danced  the  hay  with 
you." 

And  all  the  servants  laughed  heartily  at  the  idea, 
and  those  who  were  holding  dishes  let  them  fall  and 
broke  them,  and  one  who  was  mixing  a  custard 
upset  the  whole  over  the  floor  and  wasted  it — all 
because  of  the  laughter  at  the  thought  of  the  king 
dancing  with  Catskin. 

21 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

As  for  the  young  master,  he  returned  thoughtful. 
He  was  asked  by  his  mother  with  whom  he  had 
danced,  and  he  said  : — 

"  For  two  nig-hts  at  the  ball 

There  was  seen  a  ladye, 
The  sweetest  of  beauties 

Eyes  ever  did  see. 
She  was  the  best  dancer 

In  all  the  whole  place, 
And  she  strangely  resembled 

Our  Catskin  in  face. 

Had  she  not  been  dressed 

In  costly  degree, 
I'd  have  sworn  that  it  was 

Our  own  Catskin's  bodye." 

When  the  lady  came  down  into  the  kitchen,  then 
once  more  Catskin  stood  forth,  and  asked  her  if  she 
might  this  time  be  allowed  to  go  to  the  ball,  to  see 
the  king,  and  the  princes,  and  the  nobles,  and  all 
the  ladies  in  their  rainbow  dresses.  The  lady  was 
so  angry  at  her  being  thus  persistent,  that,  having  a 
basin  of  water  in  her  hand,  she  threw  it  over  Catskin, 
and  bade  her  begone  for  a  fool. 

Then  shaking  her  wet  ears 

Out  o'  doors  she  did  run, 
And  dressed  herself 

All  in  gold  like  the  sun. 

She  washed  herself  and  combed  out  her  beautiful 
hair,  and  she  had  plaited  a  wreath  of  marigolds,  and 
these  she  set  on  her  head.  But  she  clothed  her  fair 
body  in  finest  linen  and  lace,  and  over  all  put  a 
golden  silk  dress  like  wheat  when  full)-  ripe. 


Catskin 

This  time  she  did  not  look  forth  when  the 
nobleman's  son  was  mounting  his  horse  to  ride  to 
the  ball.  She  heard  him  call,  "  Catskin  !  Catskin  ! 
where  art  thou  ?  "  But  she  would  not  let  herself  be 
seen,  so  he  rode  away  in  ill  humour  at  not  having 
spoken  with  her.  He  was  sore  perplexed  in  mind 
because  the  lady  with  whom  he  had  twice  danced 
wondrously  resembled  the  scullion  girl  in  his 
mother's  kitchen. 

As  he  rode,  all  the  bells  in  all  the  church  towers 
were  ringing,  and,  as  they  rang,  they  seemed  to  say — 

''Catskin,  Catskin,  made  to  win, 
Cat  without  and  queen  within." 

Soon  after  he  had  left,  Catskin  started  from  the 
barn,  and  arrived  just  in  the  right  time,  and  entered 
the  Guild  Hall  in  the  retinue  of  the  queen,  whose 
procession  followed  that  of  the  king. 

Now  the  young  nobleman  was  on  the  watch,  and 
directly  he  saw  her,  he  went  to  her,  and  asked  if  she 
would  dance  with  him  all  that  evening  ;  he  would  not 
surrender  her  hand,  no,  not  even  to  the  king  if  he 
desired  it. 

She  consented.  Now  he  looked  harder  at  her  than 
ever  before. 

Then  the  dance  being  ended, 

The  young-  squire,  said  he, 
*'  From  whence  may  you  come, 

Fairest  lady,  tell  me?" 
Her  answer  was — '*  Sir, 

You  shall  soon  know  the  same, 
From  the  sign  of  the  Basin 

Of  spilt  water  I  came." 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

This  time  the  young  man  was  resolved  not  to  let 
her  go  without  following  her,  and  he  watched  her 
every  movement,  and  when  she  slipped  away,  he 
hasted  after  her.  And  as  she  ran,  the  marigolds  in 
her  crown  fell  one  by  one,  and  all  along  the  way 
there  were  strewn  marigolds.  The  night  was  dark, 
but  the  marigolds  shone  like  stars,  and  the  young 
man  followed  her  track  by  the  fallen  flowers.  And 
they  led  him  to  his  father's  barn,  and  at  the  door  lay 
her  crown.  Every  one  of  the  marigolds  had  fallen 
out  of  it. 

The  young  man  stooped,  picked  up  the  crown, 
and  went  into  the  barn.      Then — 

He  said,   "  O  brave  Catskin, 

I  find  it  is  thee, 
Who  on  these  three  nights 

Has  so  charmed  me. 
Thou  sweetest  of  maidens 

Eyes  ever  beheld, 
With  joy  and  contentment 

My  heart  now  is  filled. 

Thou  art  our  cook's  scullion, 

But,  as  I  have  life. 
Grant  me  thy  heart's  love, 

I  will  make  thee  my  wife. 
And  thou  shalt  have  maidens 

To  answer  thy  call." 
"Oh,  that  cannot  be,  sir! 

I've  no  portion  at  all." 

"Thy  beauty's  thy  portion, 

My  joy  and  my  dear, 
I  prize  it  more  precious 

Than  thousands  a  year. 
24 


Catskin 

For  my  parents    consent 

I  have  schemed  a  trick  : 
I  will  g-o  to  my  bed, 

I  will  feign  myself  sick. 

Then  no  one  shall  tend  me 

But  thou,  I  profess. 
So,  one  day  and  two  days, 

In  thy  richest  dress 
Thou  shalt  be  a-clad,  love  ; 

And  when  there  draw  nigh, 
My  parents  to  see  me, 

Whilst  sick  I  do  lie, 
I'll  tell  them  I  love  thee. 

To  save  my  sweet  life, 
I'll  say  the  sole  medicine 

Is  Catskin  for  wife." 

Catskin  consented  to  this  arrangement,  and  forth- 
with the  young  man  took  to  his  bed  and  professed 
himself  to  be  very  sick. 

The  father  and  mother,  who  loved  him  dearly, 
sent  for  a  doctor,  and  he  looked  at  his  tongue,  and 
said  it  was  coated,  then  felt  his  pulse,  and  found  it 
irregular,  and  took  his  temperature,  which  he 
pronounced  abnormal. 

The  parents  were  dreadfully  alarmed,  and  asked 
where  the  seat  of  the  complaint  was.  The  doctor 
said  it  was  in  the  pericardium.  This  made  the 
mother  swoon  in  her  husband's  arms. 

The  sick  man  now  begged  that  he  might  be 
nursed  by  Catskin,  and,  as  the  doctor  said  that  he  must 
not  be  contradicted  in  anything,  his  father  and 
mother  consented,  but  thought  the  request  a  very 
strange  one. 

25 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

It  may  well  be  believed,  that  so  soon  as  Catskin 
and  the  young  man  were  alone,  they  laughed  and 
made  merry,  and  he  bade  her  quickly  go  and  put 
on  one  of  her  grand  dresses. 

Now   his    lady  mother  had   gone  down   into  the 
kitchen  to  prepare  her  son  a  cordial  elixir,  according 
to  the   recipe    given   by  the    doctor;    and   this  was    i 
the  recipe : — 

2  oz.  oil  of  squills 
2         ,,         earthworms 
2         ,,         vervain 
2         ,,         Spanish  flies 
2         ,,         neats'  feet 
Assafoetida  and  cayenne  pepper  to  taste. 

When  she  came  up  with  this  delectable  cordial  in 
her  hand  and  entered  the  room,  to  her  amazement 
there  she  saw  a  beautiful  damsel  dressed  in  silk  of 
heaven's  hue,  with  a  crown  of  daisies  like  stars  on 
her  flowing  brown  hair. 

She  was  so  taken  aback,  so  frightened,  that  she 
dropped  the  cordial,  and  the  vessel  was  broken,  and 
the  elixir  spilled.  She  was  speechless  with  amaze- 
ment, and  thought  that  a  fairy  had  appeared.  But, 
anxious  above  all  things  for  her  son's  health,  she 
hastened  down  into  the  kitchen  again,  to  prepare  a 
cordial  elixir  according  to  the  same  recipe. 

When  she  had  done  this,  she  ascended  with  it 
again  to  the  sick-room  ;  and  as  she  drew  near,  she 
heard  a  voice  singing  to  the  lute. 

She  remained  listening,  and  this  is  what  she 
heard  the  voice  sing — 

26 


Catskln 

''Through  the  cool  shady  woods 

As  I  was  rang-ing-, 
I  heard  the  pretty  birds 

Notes  sweetly  changing-. 
Down  by  a  meadow-side 

Where  runs  a  river, 
A  little  boy  I  espied 

With  bow  and  quiver. 

*  Little  boy,  tell  me,  say, 

Why  thou  art  hiding. 

Art  thou  some  runaway, 

And  hast  no  biding?' 

*  I  am  no  runaway. 

Venus  my  mother, 
She  gave  me  leave  to  play 
When  I  came  hither.' 

*  Little  boy,  with  thy  bow 

Why  dost  thou  threaten  ? 
It  is  not  long  ago 

Since  thou  wast  beaten. 
Thy  wanton  mother  fair, 

Venus,  will  chide  thee  ; 
Of  arrows  be  more  spare. 

Or  thou  must  hide  thee.' 

Then  little  Cupid  laughed, 

Caught  his  bow  nimble. 
Shot  forth  a  fatal  shaft 

Which  made  me  tremble. 
*  Go  tell  my  gallant  fair 

Thou  canst  discover 
What  all  the  passions  are 

Of  a  fond  lover.'  " 

Then  the  lady  thrust  open  the  door,  and  saw, 
seated  by  his  window,  a  beautiful  girl  clothed  in 
grass-green  silk,  with  a  lace  collar  over  her  shoulders 
and   a  wreath   of  lilies  of  the  valley  on   her  brown 

2; 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

hair.  The  window  was  open,  and  the  air  blew  in 
and  fluttered  her  hair  about,  and  made  all  the  white 
bells  of  the  lilies  dance,  and  it  seemed  as  though 
her  hair  and  the  pure  flowers  were  all  dancing  on 
her  head  to  the  sound  of  her  lute,  and  the  song  she 
sang — 

"Go  tell  my  g-allant  fair 
Thou  canst  discover 
What  all  the  passions  are 
Of  a  fond  lover." 

As  she  sang  this,  the  beautiful  girl  turned  her 
face  from  the  window  and  looked  at  the  young  man 
lying  sick  on  the  bed,  and  the  lady  of  the  house, 
his  mother,  recognised  the  face  of  Catskin. 

She  was  so  astonished  that  she  let  fall  the  cordial, 
and  it  was  spilt  over  the  floor,  so  that  there  was  not 
one  drop  left  for  her  son  to  imbibe. 

Her  senses  were  in  such  a  whirl  that  she  could 
not  speak,  she  could  not  advance,  she  could  not 
think.  So  she  shut  the  door,  and  ran  speechless 
down  into  the  kitchen,  to  prepare  the  cordial  a 
third  time. 

But  alas  and  alack  a  day !  servants  are  careless. 
The  cook,  not  having  Catskin  to  assist,  had  bidden 
a  stable-boy  come  in  and  be  scullion  for  the  nonce ; 
and  this  urchin,  having  seen  the  recipe  written  by 
the  doctor,  which  the  lady  had  left  on  the  kitchen 
table,  had  taken  it  to  light  a  fire  with.  The  lady 
was  in  dismay  when  she  found  that  this  precious 
recipe  was  lost.  She  therefore  turned  to  a  book 
written  by  her  great-great-grandmother,  a  notable 
lady    for    making   confects    and    strong   waters,  and 

28 


Catskin 

took    at    random    out    of    it    another    recipe.      This 
was  it — 


Of  oil  of  cloves 

I  drop 

Of  honeycomb 

every  particle 

I  lemon 

well  squeezed 

Of  butter 

I  lb. 

A  few  peeled  almonds  cut  in  slices. 
Dissolve  over  a  clear  fire  and  mix  well. 

The  lady  at  once  proceeded  to  make  this  decoc- 
tion. When  it  was  done,  she  poured  it  out,  and 
lo  !   it  was — Butter  Scotch. 

She  stood  in  great  doubt  what  to  do,  when  at 
that  moment  trumpets  sounded,  and  the  servants, 
all  rushing  to  the  w^indows,  away  from  their  work, — 
as  the  manner  of  servants  is, — saw  the  king,  who 
had  arrived  with  his  court,  and  the  queen  on  one 
side  and  the  archbishop  on  the  other. 

It  had  been  noised  abroad  that  the  nobleman's 
son  was  ill,  and  the  king,  who  was  very  amiable, 
had  resolved  on  coming  himself  to  inquire  after  him, 
and,  if  he  were  permitted,  to  see  him.  He  had  also 
brought  with  him  his  own  physician,  to  look  at  the 
patient's  tongue,  feel  his  pulse,  and  take  his  tempera- 
ture. The  lady,  holding  a  plate  of  the  most 
beautiful  Oriental  china  in  her  hand,  on  which  was  a 
great  slab  of  butter  scotch,  with  almonds  in  it,  at 
once  hasted  to  meet  the  king  and  answer  his  kind 
inquiries. 

The  king  said  that  he  would  greatly  like  to  see 
the  sick  youth,  and  appoint  his  own  doctor  to  examine 
and  prescribe  for  him. 

Accordingly  the  lady  conducted  him  and  the 
29 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

queen,  and  the  archbishop,  and  the  physician  ;  and 
all  the  court  ladies  and  gentlemen  in  waiting,  the 
master  of  the  horse,  the  chamberlain,  the  high 
sheriff  of  the  county,  preceded  by  his  javelin 
men,  marched  up  the  stairs  to  the  door  of  the  sick- 
room. 

When  the  door  was  opened — what  did  they  all 
see?   This  is  what  they  saw. 

In  the  midst  of  the  room,  on  the  highly  polished 
floor,  was  a  beautiful  damsel,  dressed  in  silk  the 
colour  of  golden  wheat,  with  marigolds  in  her  hair, 
dancing  a  corranto ;  and  the  sick  man  was  raised 
on  his  elbow,  and  was  watching  her  graceful  move- 
ments with  great  delight. 

As  she  danced,  the  marigolds  fell  from  her  hair, 
and  she  danced  round  and  in  and  out  among  the 
fallen  yellow  flowers,  singing  as  she  danced,  and  was 
so  intent  not  to  tread  on  a  blossom,  or  disturb  it 
with  her  silken  skirts,  that  she  did  not  see  those 
who  had  come  to  the  door. 

The  king,  the  queen,  the  archbishop,  the  physician, 
the  chamberlain,  the  lords  and  ladies,  the  grand 
sheriff,  and  the  great  javelins  stood  silent,  in  admira- 
tion, as  did  also  the  lady  of  the  house,  with  the  plate 
of  butter-scotch  in  her  hand. 

All  at  once  the  king  exclaimed,  "  Why,  surely 
this  is  the  very  lady  with  whom  I  danced  the 
hay." 

At  his  words  Catskin  started,  became  crimson, 
and  ceased  dancing ;  she  retreated  to  the  window, 
and  the  patient  pulled  the  bedclothes  over  his 
head. 

30 


Catskin 

The  king  and  all  his  court  now  entered,  and  went 
to  the  side  of  the  bed,  where  the  king  issued  his 
royal  mandate  that  the  sick  man  should  show  his 
head  above  the  bed-clothes.  This  the  patient  dared 
not  disobey.  So  he  let  himself  be  seen,  and  the 
physician  was  required  to  proceed  with  the  diagnosis 
of  the  case.  He,  however,  respectfully  requested 
that  the  family  doctor  might  be  invited  to  be 
present,  as  it  was  against  the  etiquette  of  the  faculty 
to  interfere  with  each  other's  practice. 

The  village  and  family  doctor  happened  at  this 
moment  to  arrive,  and  he  was  called  up  into  the 
room. 

The  court  physician  proceeded  to  look  at  the  sick 
man's  tongue,  and  said  he  considered  it  coated. 

"  So  I  said,"  observed  the  family  doctor. 

"  And  his  pulse  is  irregular." 

"  So  I  said,"  observed  the  family  doctor. 

"  And  his  temperature  is  abnormal." 

"  My  very  words,"  said  the  family  doctor. 

A  consultation  was  now  proposed,  and  the  two 
practitioners  adjourned  to  an  adjoining  cabinet, 
whilst  the  king,  and  the  archbishop,  and  all  the 
court,  the  nobleman  and  his  lady,  the  parents  of  the 
youth,  remained  in  breathless  expectation.  After 
half  an  hour  the  two  doctors  issued  from  the 
adjoining  cabinet,  and  the  court  physician  said,  with 
immense  solemnity,  "  There  is  nothing  in  the  case 
to  cause  immediate  alarm.  My  brother  practitioner 
and  I  have  well  weighed  the  case,  and  have  drawn 
out  a  prescription  which,  if  strictly  followed,  will,  we 
believe,  produce  the  happiest  results." 

31 


The  Old   English.  Fairy  Tales 

Then  he  unfolded  a  scroll,  and  handed  it  to  the 
archbishop.      It  contained  but  these  words — 

Matrimony 

cum  Butter  scotch,  quant,  stiff. 

The  very  hearing  of  the  recipe  sufficed  to  make 
the  sick  man  jump  out  of  bed. 

Next  day,  with  great  triumph, 

And  joy,  and  good  cheer, 
There  arrived  many  coaches 

From  far  and  from  near ; 
When,  much  like  a  goddess 

In  festal  array, 
Fair  Catskin  was  married 

To  the  squire  that  day. 

The  days  they  were  many 

The  wedding  did  last. 
With  many  a  topping 

And  gallant  repast. 
Oh  hark  the  bells  ringing 

All  over  the  town  ; 
See  flasks  of  canary 

Flow  merrily  round. 

So  Catskin  was  married  to  the  young  gentleman, 
the  son  of  the  noble  in  whose  house  she  had  served 
as  scullion. 

We  might  end  the  story  of  Catskin  here,  and 
yet,  were  we  to  do  so,  we  should  omit  an  incident 
which  marks  how  good  she  was,  and  deserving  of 
the  happy  fortune  that  fell  to  her. 

It  had  fallen  out  in  this  wise  with  her  father.  Her 
mother  was  dead.  A  fever  had  come  on  in  the  house, 
and  had  swept  away  both  her  mother  and  sisters ;  so 

32 


Catskin 

that  the  old  man  was  left  alone,  and  in  his  age 
he  was  sorrowful  and  desolate.  Now  he  began  to 
think  of  his  daughter  whom  he  had  discarded.  He 
resolved  to  pay  her  a  visit,  for  he  had  heard  of  her 
marriage. 

He  dressed  like  a  beggar 

And  went  to  the  gate, 
Where  stood  his  sweet  daughter, 

Now  noble  and  great. 
He  cried,   "Gentle  lady, 

A  poor  man  I  be, 
And  forced  by  necessity 

To  ask  charity." 

With  a  blush  she  demanded 

The  place  whence  he  came. 
Then,  with  that  he  told  her, 

As  likewise  his  name. 
She  cried,   "  I'm  your  daughter 

W^ho  slighted  was  so, 
Yet,  nevertheless,  sir. 

Thee  kindness  I'll  show. 


Through  mercy,  the  Lord 

Has  provided  for  me. 
Pray,  father,  come  in,  sir. 

Be  seated,"  said  she. 
The  best  of  provision 

The  house  could  afford. 
For  making  him  welcome. 

Was  placed  on  the  board. 

She  said,   "You  are  welcome 
Feed  hearty,   I  pray. 

And,  if  you  are  willing, 
With  me  you  shall  stay 

33 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

So  long-  as  you  live,  sir." 

He  then  made  repl)-, 
''I  only  have  come  here, 

Your  love  I  would  tr}-. 

Through  mercy,  my  daug^hter, 

I'm  rich,  and  not  poor, 
I've  red  g'old  and  silver 

Heaped  up  in  my  store. 
And  for  the  kind  favour 

At  your  hands  I've  found, 
For  portion  I'll  give  you 

Full  ten  thousand  pound." 

A  few  days  after  he  sold  all  his  land,  and  came 
to  his  daughter,  gave  her  what  he  had  promised,  and 
lived  in  love  with  her,  well  attended  to,  the  rest  of 
his  days. 

Note. — The  old  English  story  of  "  Catskin,"  which  exists 
in  ballad  form,  has  been  driven  out  by  the  French  tale  of 
"Cinderella."  The  latter*is  a  very  g-ood  story,  and  it  was  ver}' 
well  told  by  Perault.  In  some  points  the  English  tale  is  preferable. 
The  English  story  has  relation  also  to  Perault's  "  Peau  d'Ane.' 
In  German  the  series  are  those  of  "  Aschenplittel "  and  '*  Allerlei- 
rauch."  The  catskin  in  the  English  story  is  an  ass's  hide  in 
Perault's,  and  a  coat  of  coarse  hair  in  the  German.  The  story  is 
known  throughout  Europe.  In  the  Eng-lish  tale  there  is  no  g-lass 
slipper  dropped.  In  connection  with  this  element,  I  may  refer  to 
Rhodope,  who  became  Queen  of  Egypt  by  dropping'  her  slipper 
(Strabo,  xxii.  808 ;  ^lian,  Hist.  var.  xiii.  33).  The  English 
ballad,  which  is  without  poetic  merit,  has  been  several  times 
reprinted.  It  was  printed  in  Aldermary  Churchyard  about  1720. 
For  a  full  account  of  the  story  and  its  ramifications  and  variants, 
see  J.  S.  Moore,  The  Pictorial  Book  of  Ballads,  1849,  vol.  ii.  p.  145  ; 
and  still  fuller  in  A.  Lang's  Cinderella,  345  Variants,  printed  for 
the  Folk-Lore  Society,  1893. 

Of  the  ballad  there  are  distinct  exemplars,  one  printed  at  Pitt's 
Wholesale  Toy  and  Marble  Warehouse,  69A  S.  Andrew  St.,  Seven 
Dials;  theother,  "Printcdandsold,  wholesaleandretail,byJ.  Evans, 

34 


1 


Catskin 

Xo.  41  Long  Lane,  Smithfield.  "  It  is  in  the  Roxburg-he  Collection, 
vol.  iii.  p.  770 ;  Douce  Coll.  iv.  105.  Another  copy  in  the  British 
Museum  (press  mark,  11621,  6.  3,  art.  8),  to  the  tune  of  "The 
Wandering-  Jew,"  printed  for  T.  Norris.  It  occurs  also  in  a 
Garland  entitled  The  Wandering  Yotmg  Getitlewomans  Garlatid ; 
and  this  begins — 

Ye  fathers  and  mothers,  and  children  also, 

Come  draw  near  unto  me,  and  soon  ye  shall  know,  etc. 

whereas  the  other  form  of  the  ballad  begins — 

There  once  was  a  gentleman  grand. 

Who  lived  in  his  country  seat; 
He  wanted  an  heir  to  his  land, 

For  he'd  nothing  but  daughters  yet. 


35 


II 


THE   GARDENER   PRINCE 


37 


II 
THE    GARDENER    PRINCE 


Far,  far  away  in  the  blue  distance  of  time,  took  place 
a  great  invasion  of  Bohemia.  The  savage  Huns 
came  pouring  over  Europe  from  the  steppes  of 
Northern  Asia,  carrying  havoc  and  death  wherever 
they  went.  They  w^ere  little  dark  men  with  black, 
beady  eyes,  and  they  sat  their  horses  as  if  of  one  flesh 
with  them. 

In  the  great  destruction  that  overtook  Prague,  the 
capital  of  Bohemia,  the  town  was  fired,  and  the  Huns, 
breaking  into  the  royal  palace,  carried  off  the  nurse 
with  the  young  prince,  and  swept  away  far  west, 
burning  and  destroying  everywhere  till  they  reached 
France,  and  there  they  were  encountered  on  the  plains 
of  Chalons  by  the  Franks  and  Visigoths  under  ^tius, 
and  were  totally  routed.  Attila,  king  of  the  Huns, 
after  this  battle,  gathered  the  remnants  of  his  force 
in  the  camp,  surrounded  himself  with  a  ring  of 
waggons,  piled  up  the  saddles  of  his  horses,  and 
stood  on  the  top  of  this  immense  mass,  torch  in  hand, 

39 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

ready  to  set  fire  to  all,  and  perish,  he  and  his  men, 
in  the  pyre,  should  the  Franks  be  able  to  burst 
through  the  enclosure.  The  conquerors  did  not 
deem  it  wise  to  drive  him  to  desperation,  and  suffered 
him  and  the  remnants  of  his  savage  army  to  retreat 
into  Germany.     This  was  in  the  year  451. 

The  nurse  of  the  Prince  of  Bohemia  had  perished 
on  the  way,  and  the  little  child  had  been  taken 
charge  of  by  a  Hun  woman.  In  the  flight  she  threw 
away  the  child,  and  it  was  found  and  taken  charge 
of  by  a  poor  man,  whose  wife,  having  no  children  of 
her  own,  was  glad  to  adopt  it. 

The  child,  who  was  called  Oriol,  grew  up  in  the 
cottage  of  these  good  people,  and  believed  them  to 
be  his  parents.  The  reason  why  he  was  named 
Oriol  was  this.  When  the  man  found  him,  he  was 
lying  in  a  field  of  buttercups,  and  he  had  amused 
himself  with  pulling  off  the  heads  of  the  flowers,  and 
had  made  himself  a  bed  of  the  shining  blossoms,  and 
a  pillow  as  well.  The  sun  vv-as  shining  brightly,  and 
when  the  man  saw  the  babe  lying  amidst  buttercup 
flowers,  the  reflection  made  him  think  the  child  was 
all  golden,  and  he  exclaimed,  "  Why,  this  is  a  golden 
babe ! "  As  or  is  gold  in  the  French  tongue,  he 
called  him  thenceforth  Oriol. 

When  the  boy  was  grown  to  man's  estate,  he  was 
sent  to  be  a  gardener  in  the  king's  palace ;  and  the 
flowers  he  cultivated  seemed  to  know  that  someone 
was  set  over  them  who  loved  them,  for  they  flourished 
in  a  marvellous  manner.  Flowers  like  to  be  made 
much  of,  to  be  talked  to,  and  encouraged  to  grow, 
and  Oriol   always  had   a  good   word   to   say   to   his 

40 


The  Gardener  Prince 

plants.  He  became  warmly  attached  to  them,  and 
they  to  him. 

Now  the  king  had  got  a  daughter  called  Marcella, 
and  she  was  wont  to  look  through  her  window  at  the 
garden,  and  she  saw  the  young  gardener,  and  thought 
how  clever  he  was  with  his  flowers.  She  was  never 
allowed  to  go  abroad  without  her  governess,  but  one 
day  an  irresistible  longing  came  over  her  to  go  into 
the  garden  and  see  the  flowers. 

Now  there  was  in  this  garden  a  rose,  and  this  rose 
had  the  property  that  whoever  picked  it  would  be 
pricked  thereby  to  the  heart,  and  could  never  be 
cured  save  by  the  gardener  who  had  cultivated  the 
rose. 

Of  this  the  Princess  Marcella  knew  nothing.  She 
did  not  ask  leave  of  anyone,  but  stole  downstairs  and 
went  to  the  garden. 

There  stood  the  gardener  at  the  gate, 

And  in  each  hand  a  flower ; 
"  O  pretty  maid,  come  in,"  he  said, 

''And  view  my  beauteous  bower. 

The  lily  it  shall  be  thy  smock. 

The  jonquil  shoe  thy  feet ; 
Thy  gown  shall  be  the  ten- week  stock, 

To  make  thee  fair  and  sweet. 

The  gilly-flower  shall  deck  thy  head, 

Thy  way  with  herbs  I'll  strew  ; 
Thy  stockings  shall  be  marigold, 

Thy  gloves  the  violet  blue." 

But  the  fair  princess  had  seen  a  lovely  rose  the 
flowers  of  which  were  crimson  as  blood,  and  so  thick 

41 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

that  they  hid  the  leaves  and  the  thorns.      She  said  to 
the  gardener — 

' '  I  will  not  have  the  gilly-flower, 
Nor  herbs  my  path  to  strew, 
Xor  stocking-s  of  the  marigold, 
Nor  gloves  of  violet  blue. 

I  will  not  have  the  ten-week  stock, 

Nor  jonquils  to  my  shoon  ; 
But  I  will  have  the  red,  red  rose 

That  flowereth  in  June." 

The  gardener,  who  knew  how  sharp  and  dangerous 
were  the  thorns  of  this  rose,  endeavoured  to  dissuade 
her.      He  said — 

"  The  red,  red  rose  it  liath  a  thorn 
That  pierceth  to  the  bone." 

But  she  answered — 

*'  I  little  heed  thy  idle  rede. 
I  will  have  that  or  none." 

Again  he  endeavoured  to  dissuade  her — 

'*  The  red,  red  rose  it  hath  a  thorn 
That  pierceth  to  the  heart." 

But  she  answered — 

"  The  red,  red  rose,  oh,  I  will  hav'e. 
I  little  heed  the  smart." 


She  stooped  down  unto  the  ground 
To  pluck  the  rose  so  red  ; 

The  thorn  it  pierced  her  to  the  heart, 
And  this  fair  maid  was  dead. 
42 


The  Gardener  Prince 

Now,  when  the  gardener  saw  this,  he  was  alarmed, 
and  he  took  her  in  his  arms,  carried  her  upstairs,  and 
i  laid  her  on  her  bed. 

There   she  was   found   by  the   governess,  lying   as 


one  asleep.  But  all  the  efforts  to  wake  her  were  in 
vain.  At  last  she  became  so  frightened  that  she  ran 
for  the  king  and  queen,  and  they  came.  They 
shook  the  princess,  but  could  not  wake  her.  They 
called   her    by   every   term   of   endearment,   but   she 

43 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

answered  not.  Then  they  sent  for  the  Court 
physician,  and  he  came,  and  tried  every  sort  of 
remedy,  but  all  were  in  vain.  The  maid  remained 
fast  asleep  as  one  dead  ;  there  was  no  rousing  her. 
She  neither  breathed  nor  moved,  nor  did  her  heart 
beat,  yet  her  cheeks  were  fresh  as  roses,  and  so  she 
remained  day  by  day  unchanging.  The  parents 
were  in  sore  distress,  and  they  would  not  allow 
her  to  be  buried,  because  they  really  did  not  know 
whether  she  were  asleep  or  dead. 

Then  they  consulted  the  Court  astrologer,  and  he 
looked  at  the  stars,  and  read  therein  that  none  might 
restore  the  Princess  save  the  gardener,  and  that  he 
would  marry  her. 

When  the  king  heard  this,  he  was  much  perplexed 
what  to  do.  He  did  not  desire  that  his  daughter 
should  lie  in  this  trance,  without  ever  awaking;  and. 
on  the  other  hand,  he  did  not  relish  the  notion  of 
having  his  gardener  become  his  son-in-law.  But  he 
considered,  and  resolved  to  make  Oriol  restore  this 
princess  to  life,  and  after  that  he  would  put  the 
young  man  to  death,  and  so  frustrate  the  pro- 
phecy. 

Accordingly,  he  sent  a  waiting-maid  of  the  princess 
to  the  garden. 

There  stood  the  g-ardener  at  the  gate, 

With  cypress  in  his  hand, 
And  he  did  say,   "  Let  no  fair  may 

Come  into  Dead  Maid's  Land." 

So  the  waiting-girl  stood  outside,  and  told  the 
gardener  what  was  wanted  of  him,  to  come  and 
recover  the  princess  of  her  trance-like  sleep. 

44 


The  Gardener  Prince 

He  accordingly  obeyed,  and  was  brought  upstairs 
and  shown  where  she  lay.  Then  he  stooped,  and  he 
found  the  thorn  that  was  run  into  her  heart,  and  he 
drew  it  forth,  and  the  moment  he  had  done  this,  she 
opened  her  eyes,  gave  a  long  sigh,  looked  at  him,  and 
began  to  speak. 

Immediately  the  king  gave  orders  that  he  should 
be  taken  and  cast  to  wild  beasts.  The  king  had  lions 
in  cages,  and  he  was  wont  to  feed  them  with  male- 
factors who  were  sentenced  to  death.  For  at  that 
time  butcher's  meat  was  very  expensive,  as  a  murrain 
had  been  introduced  into  the  land  by  the  Huns,  and 
it  had  swept  off  most  of  the  cattle ;  and  it  never 
wholly  disappeared.  But  if  butcher's  meat  was  dear 
and  scarce,  malefactors  were  cheap  and  abundant. 

According  to  command,  Oriol  was  cast  to  the  lions. 
But  Marcella  had  a  twin  brother  called  Marcellus, 
and  he  was  greatly  shocked  and  grieved  when  he 
heard  his  father's  order ;  he  entreated  the  king  to 
spare  the  gardener,  and,  when  he  could  not  move 
him,  he  ran  to  the  prison  to  beseech  the  gaoler  to 
throw  in  his  private  tutor  instead  of  the  gardener. 
The  noble-minded  prince  thought  by  this  means  his 
father's  injustice  might  be  prevented,  and  himself 
delivered  for  a  time  from  his  daily  lessons.  The 
gaoler,  however,  told  him  that  his  intervention  came 
too  late,  for  that  Oriol  was  already  cast  to  the  wild 
beasts. 

But  what  was  the  surprise  of  the  prince  and  of  the 
gaoler  when  they  found  that  the  lions  refused  to 
touch  the  gardener,  and  crouched  round  him  in 
respectful  attitudes. 

45 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Now  it  is  known  to  all  the  world  that  the  lion  will 
not  touch  royal  blood.  So  the  prince  exclaimed 
that  he  was  sure  Oriol  came  of  kingly  stock,  and  he 
ran  and  told  his  father,  who  gave  orders  for  the 
gardener  to  be  removed  from  the  lions'  den,  and 
retained  in  prison  till  he  issued  further  instructions. 

When  the  princess  awoke  from  her  sleep,  she  could 
think  only  of  the  gardener.  It  was  the  nature  of 
the  rose  that  when  the  thorn  was  withdrawn,  she 
who  had  been  wounded  would  fall  in  love  with  the 
first  person  her  opening  eyes  rested  on ;  and  as  it 
chanced,  when  Marcella  raised  her  lids,  she  saw 
Oriol.  So,  though  the  sleep-giving  quality  of  the 
thorn  was  overcome  when  the  thorn  was  extracted, 
yet  the  subtle  poison  of  love  remained  in  her 
veins. 

She  had  none  but  her  brother  to  whom  she  could 
tell  her  feelings.  She  was  very  unhappy,  because  she 
knew  that  the  king,  her  father,  reserved  her  deliverer 
for  a  cruel  death ;  and  the  Prince  Marcellus  particu- 
larly resented  that  his  royal  parent  had  objected  to 
having  the  private  tutor  thrown  to  the  lions,  in 
default  of  criminals. 

The  brother  and  sister  consulted  together,  and 
resolved  to  effect  the  escape  of  the  gardener,  and  to 
fly  with  him  to  England,  where  she  could  marry 
Oriol,  and  where,  as  Marcellus  believed,  he,  himself, 
would  not  be  held  to  his  lessons. 

Accordingly,  the  prince  went  to  the  harbour  and 
contrived  to  hire  a  ship  in  which  they  might  sail  to 
England.  Then  he  went  to  the  prison  and  per- 
suaded  the  gaoler  to  allow  him  to  see  the  gardener. 

46 


The  Gardener  Prince 

To   Oriol   he   communicated   the  plan  for  his  escape 
and  their  flight.      Then  Oriol  replied  — 

*'  I'll  g-o  to  my  lady  at  break  of  day, 
I'll  carry  my  lady  far  away. 
But  how  shall  I  manage  to  snap  my  chain  ? 
And  how  can  I  my  liberty  gain?" 

Then  the  prince  gave  him  a  tiny  steel  file,  which 
he  had  hidden  in  his  sleeve,  and  with  this  he  was  to 
work  through  the  iron  bars  of  his  window,  and  so 
escape.  He,  Marcellus,  would  bring  a  ladder  and 
put  it  outside  the  prison,  so  that  when  the  bars  were 
filed  through,  Oriol  might  escape  with  the  ladder,  and 
by  means  of  the  ladder  release  Marcella  from  the 
tower  of  the  palace  in  which  she  was  locked  up. 
Accordingly,  the  young  prince  went  to  the  harbour  and 
gave  orders  that  everything  should  be  ready  for  sail- 
ing as  soon  as  he  arrived  with  his  companions ;  then 
he  went  back,  and  found  his  tutor  in  a  great  way 
because  he  was  late  for  his  Latin  lesson,  and  was 
growling  and  threatening  to  report  him  to  his  father. 

Oriol  worked  with  the  steel  file  during  the  night, 
and  succeeded  in  cutting  through  the  bars.  Then 
he  thrust  himself  out  of  the  window,  and  found 
Marcellus  below  with  the  ladder.  He  quickly 
descended.  Then  the  prince  bade  him  take  the 
ladder  and  go  to  the  palace  and  release  his  sister, 
whilst  he  went  to  the  ship,  to  have  all  ready  to  start 
the  instant  they  arrived. 

Now  when  Oriol  came  below  the  window  of  the 
princess,  he  found  to  his  consternation  that  the  ladder 
was  far  too  short.  She  was  above,  looking  out, 
ready  to  fly,  but  could  not  be  reached. 

47 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

What  was  to  be  done?  All  the  palace  doors 
were  locked  and  barred,  and  there  were  guards  set  to 
keep  them. 

The  princess  was  equal  to  the  occasion.  She 
had  the  most  lovely  golden  hair  in  the  world,  and 
now 

The  lady  undid  her  g-olden  hair, 

She  cut  it  off  with  a  golden  sheer  ; 

The  lady  took  out  her  silver  pin, 

Her  hair  it  was  neither  short  nor  thin  ; 

She  twisted  it  in,  and  she  twisted  it  out. 

And  she  made  a  ladder  both  strong-  and  stout, 

She  wove  it  up  and  she  wove  it  down, 

And  she  made  a  ladder  to  reach  the  ground. 

Now,  when  she  had  thus  plaited  and  twisted  her 
hair,  and  had  formed  of  it  a  golden  ladder,  she 
fastened  it  to  her  window  and  looked  forth.  But 
when  she  saw  what  a  distance  she  had  to  descend, 
her  heart  began  to  fail 

"Alack!"    she  said,   "but  I  do  not  dare 
To  plant  my  feet  on  this  ladder  of  hair. 
Alack!"  she  said,   "but  were  I  to  fall, 
I  should  dash  my  blood  on  the  castle  wall." 

Then  Oriol  saw  that  the  night  was  spent,  and  the 
day  at  hand,  and  he  was  afraid  lest  he  should  be 
taken,  and  the  plan  come  to  naught.  So  he  put 
his  hand  to  the  ladder. 

Oh,  and  he  did  climb  by  the  golden  thread 
That  was  wove  of  the  hair  of  his  lady's  head. 
Oh,  and  he   did  mount  by  the  golden  stair 
That  was  fashioned  all  out  of  his  lady's  hair. 
The  hair  it  was  neither  short  nor  thin, 
And  was  fastened  above  with  a  silver  pin. 

48 


I 


The  Gardener  Prince 

When  Oriol  came  to  the  window,  then  he  took  the 
princess  in  his  arms  and  descended  with  her. 

Adown  the  ladder  of  gold  they  came 
As  over  the  hills  the  sun  did  flame. 

So  they  escaped  together  to  the  harbour,  where  the 
prince  was  awaiting  them,  and  as  soon  as  they  were 
on  board,  the  anchor  was  hove,  the  sail  spread,  and 
they  stood  out  to  sea. 

'^Now  for  love  and  freedom,"  said  Oriol. 

"  And  no  more  Latin  lessons,"  said  the  prince. 

No  sooner  was  the  flight  of  the  gardener  with 
the  children  of  the  king  and  queen  discovered,  than 
the'  utmost  commotion  ensued  in  the  palace  and 
town.  The  king  at  once  consulted  his  astrologer, 
and  the  astrologer  called  in  the  assistance  of  a  witch, 
and  they  together  brewed  a  storm  that  broke  with 
fury  on  the  sea;  the  waves  ran  mountains  high, 
and  poured  into  the  ship,  that  speedily  became  a 
wreck.  It  was  driven  back  upon  the  French  coast 
and  dashed  to  pieces.  Prince  Marcellus  escaped  on 
one  plank,  the  Princess  Marcella  on  another,  and 
Oriol,  who  clung  to  the  mast,  was  carried  far,  far 
away,  and  was  finally  picked  up  by  a  ship  and 
conveyed  to  a  distant  land.  He  believed  that  the 
dear  princess  and  the  generous  young  prince  had 
been  swallowed  up  by  the  hungry  sea. 

The  king  and  queen  were  rejoiced  to  recover  their 
children.  The  king  was  extremely  incensed  at  the 
neglect  of  the  gaoler,  at  having  allowed  the  window 
bars  to  be  filed  through  unobserved,  and  he  con- 
demned him  to  death.  When  the  gaoler  had  been 
4  49 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

put  to  death,  he  told  the  Princess  Marcella,  his 
daughter,  that  the  gardener  had  been  caught  and 
executed,  and  that  he  was  then  being  carried  to  burial. 

When  she  and  her  brother  heard  this,  they  were 
in  the  deepest  distress,  and  they  ran  to  where  the 
funeral  was  passing,  and  followed  the  dead  in  g*'eat 
grief  But  before  the  corpse  was  consigned  to  the 
earth,  the  princess  plucked  off  the  pall  that  was 
thrown  over  it,  and  to  her  great  joy  discovered  that 
the  dead  man  was  the  gaoler  and  not  her  beloved 
gardener.  She  now  found  it  unendurable  to  remain 
without  knowledge  of  Oriol.  She  often  walked  in 
the  garden,  and  whenever  she  passed  the  crimson 
rose,  the  scent  of  it  caused  her  love  to  wax  stronger. 
So  one  night  she  took  an  old  suit  of  her  brother's 
clothes,  dressed  herself  in  it,  and  ran  away.  She 
embarked  on  board  a  ship  destined  for  foreign  parts, 
and  sailed  away  in  the  disguise  of  a  boy. 

We  must  now  see  what  had  become  of  Oriol. 

After  many  adventures,  he  arrived  at  the  Court 
of  Bohemia,  where  his  father,  now  an  old  man,  was 
king. 

When  the  Huns  had  been  routed  at  Chalons,  the 
realms  they  had  overrun  recovered,  the  princes  they 
had  defeated  plucked  up  courage  and  emerged  from 
their  places  of  refuge.  The  Bohemians  had  rebuilt 
Prague,  and  made  it  more  beautiful  than  before,  and 
they  had  stuck  up  the  heads  of  Huns  who  had  been 
killed  all  along  the  walls,  as  a  series  of  knobs,  which 
was  very  picturesque,  and  also  terrifying  to  aggressors. 

The  king  was  grieved  at  the  loss  of  his  son.  He 
made  inquiries,  but  could  obtain  no  news  of  him,  and 

50 


The  Gardener  Prince 

he  was  sore  afraid  lest,  after  his  death  without  heirs 
of  his  own  body,  there  might  ensue  civil  war  among 
rival  claimants,  which  would  be  productive  of  great 
misery. 

It  fell  out  that  Oriol  arrived  in  Bohemia ;  he  had 
gone  through  various  adventures  that  need  not  be 
detailed,  and  at  length,  weary,  footsore,  and  covered 
with  dust,  he  was  approaching  the  gates  of  Prague, 
and  he  saw  before  him  the  walls,  with  little  round 
white  balls  set  along  the  top  of  the  battlements,  and 
he  could  not  understand  what  they  were.  Now  it 
happened  that  at  this  very  moment  the  king  and 
queen  and  the  princes  were  feasting  and  making 
merry.  Then,  suddenly,  in  the  hall  appeared  a 
black  cloud,  and  the  cloud  opened,  and  in  the  midst 
of  it  was  seen  the  ghost  of  the  old  nurse,  who  had 
long  been  dead.  She  cried  out,  "  O  king !  the 
dear  prince  of  whom  I  was  given  charge  is  now 
approaching  the  gates  of  Prague,  wayworn  and 
dust-soiled.  Go  forth  to  meet  and  welcome  him. 
You  will  know  him  by  his  pedigree,  which  I  tattooed 
on  his  back  with  a  needle  and  a  little  lampblack. 
After  my  death  he  was  for  a  little  while  in  the  care 
of  a  Hun  woman,  but  she  threw  him  away,  and  he 
was  picked  up  on  a  bed  of  buttercups  by  a  poor 
peasant.  As  this  peasant  and  his  wife  could  not 
read,  they  never  deciphered  what  was  written  on 
his  back,  and  of  course  the  prince  himself  was 
physically  incapable  of  studying  his  pedigree  in  the 
place  where  I  tattoed  it." 

Having  uttered  these  words,  the  ghost  vanished. 

The  king,  overjoyed,  leaped  from  table,  and  all 
51 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

his  nobles  rose.  The  whole  of  the  court  hasted  from 
the  palace,  and  the  news  spread  like  wildfire  through 
the  town.  Every  bell  in  every  church  was  pealed, 
the  people  shouted  and  danced,  and  the  children 
ran  on  the  walls,  and  were  so  excited  that  they 
began  to  play  ball  with  the  Huns'  heads,  that  were 
now  bleached  quite  white,  and  were  like  lawn  tennis 
balls,  as  white,  as  round,  and  as  empty. 

The  gates  were  thrown  open,  and  forth  came  the 
king  and  queen  and  all  the  court. 

And  when  they  saw  the  waywor^.,  dusty  traveller 
coming  along,  they  precipitated  themselves  upon 
him,  threw  him  down,  and  tore  the  clothes  off  his 
back,  and  there,  sure  enough,  from  the  nape  of  his  neck, 
and  over  his  shoulder-blades,  and' down  his  vertebral 
column  was  his  entire  pedigree  from  Adam,  and  his 
real  name,  which  was  Wenceslas,  and  not  Oriol  at  all. 

Then  they  pulled  the  prince  up  on  his  feet,  and 
as  he  was  much  shaken  and  surprised  by  the  treat- 
ment he  had  received,  they  set  him  on  a  horse  and 
led  him  through  Prague,  with  his  back  exposed,  that 
all  the  people  who  could  read  might  study  his 
pedigree,  and  convince  themselves  that  this  was  their 
very  and  true  prince.  Those  people  who  could  not 
read  tore  their  hair  with  rage  and  compunction,  and 
as  much  hair  was  pulled  out  on  that  day  as  sufficed 
to  stuff  cushions  for  many  years  after,  and  mix  with 
the  plaster  wherewith  houses  were  plastered  for  a 
like  period. 

Now  Oriol's  troubles  were  at  an  end.  Yet  was 
he  not  perfectly  happy,  because  he  thought  of 
Princess  Marcella,  and  he  secretly  pined  for  her. 

52 


The  Gardener  Prince 

It  has  already  been  told  how  she  ran  away  in 
boy's  clothes.  It  fell  out,  most  happily,  that  she 
rambled  into  Bohemia,  and  when  she  arrived  at 
Prague,  she  offered  herself  as  page  at  the  palace, 
and  was  taken.  What  was  her  astonishment  to 
recognise  in  the  young  Prince  Wenceslas  the  man 
who  had  been  the  gardener  Oriol. 

She  was  abashed,  and  did  not  quite  know  what 
to  do.  But  she  was  happy  to  be  at  his  side,  to  run 
by  his  horse  when  he  went  hunting,  and  to  wait 
behind  him  at  table  when  he  dined. 

One  day  the  prince  went  out  fishing,  and  he 
made  his  little  foot-page  carry  his  wallet,  in  which 
were  the  fish  he  caught. 

The  day  was  very  hot,  and  the  glare  on  the 
water  wearied  his  eyes,  and  made  him  sleepy,  so  he 
lay  down  with  his  head  on  his  page's  lap  and  fell 
asleep. 

Whilst  he  was  asleep,  Marcella  plucked  all  the 
buttercups  within  reach  and  strewed  them  about 
him,  till  he  was  completely  surrounded  with  them, 
much  as  when  found  by  the  French  peasant. 

Presently  he  woke,  and,  looking  about,  was  greatly 
surprised.  He  said,  "  How  came  all  these  golden 
flowers  about  me  ?  " 

Then  the  page  answered,  "  Master,  I  picked 
them." 

"  But,"  said  the  prince,  "  why  did  you  do  it  ?  " 

"  Master,"  answered  the  page,  "  I  was  formerly  in 
service  to  a  princess,  and  she  told  me  a  story  of 
how  a  little  babe  was  once  found  by  a  peasant 
among  buttercups,  and  the  sun  shone  on  them,  and 

53 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

the  reflection  over  the  child  was  such,  that  the 
peasant  cried  out,  '  It  is  a  golden  babe ! '  and  he 
called  it  Oriol." 

"  I  never  told  that  tale  but  to  one — and  that  was 
the  Princess  Marcella,"  exclaimed  Wenceslas. 

Then  the  little  foot-page  said,  "  It  was  even  from 
her  I  heard  it." 

When  the  prince  learned  this,  he  was  greatly 
agitated ;  he  sighed,  and  the  tears  came  into  his 
eyes,  and  he  said,  "  I  shall  never,  never  be  happy 
till  I  see  my  dear  Marcella  again." 

"  Ah,  master,"  exclaimed  the  page,  "  I  have  her 
portrait ;  but  do  you  know  that  she  was  wrecked 
and  drowned  in  a  terrible  storm," 

When  the  prince  heard  that,  his  tears  began  to 
flow  freely.  He  spoke  no  more,  than  to  say  he 
had  no  pleasure  any  more  in  fishing,  and  that  the 
sole  thing  that  could  gratify  him  was  to  see  the 
portrait  of  the  princess.  He  bade  the  page  produce 
it  immediately. 

"  Master,"  said  the  page,  "  the  portrait  is  life- 
size.  You  must  have  patience  till  you  return  to 
Prague." 

"  And  you  must  absolutely  surrender  that  picture 
to  me,"  said  the  prince.  "  I  can  no  longer  live 
without  it — that  is  to  say,  if  it  be  a  good  likeness." 

"  Sir,"  said  the  page,  "  on  my  word  of  honour  it 
is  a  speaking  likeness." 

"If  you  will  give  it  me,  you  shall  have  what  you 
desire." 

"  I  ask  for  one  thing  only,"  said  the  page, — '*  your 
hand." 

54 


The  Gardener  Prince 

"  Even  that,"  said  Wenceslas ;  "  I  will  cut  it  off 
and  give  it  you  freely,  if  I  may  have  the  portrait." 

Now,  when  they  were  returned  to  the  city, 
Wencelas  ran  to  his  father  and  mother,  and  said  to 
them,  "  Oh,  my  dear  parents,  I  have  not  told  you 
till  now  why  I  have  resisted  all  your  urgency  to  see 
me  married.  I  loved  and  I  was  beloved ;  and  the 
princess  I  loved  was  Marcella  of  France.  She  was 
more  lovely  than  the  day.  Her  hair  was  longer 
than  that  of  any  woman  in  the  world,  but  she  cut 
it  off  for  the  love  of  me.  It  was  like  to  the  finest 
gold.  But,  alas !  she  is  dead.  The  cruel  sea 
swallowed  her  up.  Come  and  follow  me,  and  I  will 
show  you  her  picture.  But,  first  throw  over  your 
robes  veils  of  mourning  and  black  mantles.  Let  a 
solemn  funeral  march  be  played,  and  do  you,  father 
and  mother,  and  all  the  court,  walk  in  slow  and  sad 
procession,  to  the  tolling  of  bells  and  the  strains  of 
the  Dead  March,  and  with  handkerchiefs  to  your 
eyes,  and  lemons  in  your  hands,  into  the  apartment 
where  is  the  picture  of  my  beloved  princess,  now, 
alas !  no  more.  Let  us  do  this  in  respect  to  her 
memory." 

Accordingly  the  king  and  queen  and  all  the  court 
put  black  mantles  over  their  sumptuous  robes,  and 
the  marshal  walked  first  with  his  silver  mace.  ''  One, 
two.  One,  two.  Slow  march!"  ordered  the  marshal, 
and  he  rapped  with  his  silver  mace  upon  the  floor, 
as  a  signal  to  proceed.  And  all,  two  and  two, 
came  on,  to  the  tolling  of  bells,  and  the  solemn, 
awe-inspiring  strains  of  the  band.  The  scene  was 
so  moving  that  all  wept.      Then  they  came  into  the 

55 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

chamber  appointed  by  his  little  foot  -  page,  at  the 
extremity  of  which  was  a  large  gold  frame  with 
a  curtain  thrown  over  it.  The  prince,  filled 
with  impatience,  rushed  to  the  curtain  and  pulled  it 
down. 

There,  within  the  frame,  stood — not  a  canvas 
covered  with  paint,  but  the  smiling,  speaking  image 
itself — the  beautiful  Marcella,  in  the  flesh,  dressed 
in  the  robes  of  a  princess,  with  her  golden  hair 
flowing  below  her  shoulders — so  much  had  her 
hair  grown  since  it  was  cut  off  to  make  a  ladder  by 
which  to  escape. 

She  stepped  through  the  frame,  and  said,  "  Prince 
Wenceslas,  the  picture  is  yours.      Your  hand  !  " 

Then  the  black  mantles  and  veils  fell  off  from 
the  king  and  queen  and  court,  and  they  flung  aside 
their  pocket  handkerchiefs  and  the  lemons,  and  the 
band  struck  up  a  merry  dance  tune,  and  the  bells 
began  to  peal  cheerily,  and  the  king  took  the  queen 
by  the  hand  and  began  to  caper,  and  the  court 
followed  suit,  and  danced  and  kicked  out  their  feet, 
and  crowed  and  laughed  with  pleasure.  The  people 
in  the  street  shouted  and  turned  heads  over  heels 
for  delight,  and  the  children  began  to  pelt  each 
other  with  the  skulls  of  the  Huns. 

Never  had  been  seen  greater  mirth  in  the  city  of 
Prague.  A  despatch  was  at  once  sent  to  Paris  to 
summon  the  Prince  Marcellus  for  the  wedding. 
Then  the  king  said,  "  I  believe  somewhere  up  in 
the  nursery  is  a  little  daughter  of  mine,  I  made 
no  account  of,  born  to  me  in  my  old  age.  I  will 
certainly  marry  her  to  Prince  Marcellus,  and  so  cement 

56 


The  Gardener  Prince 

the  Hnks  of  union   between   my  nation   and   that  of 
the  Franks."      And  so  was  it  done. 

Note. — This  story  is  based  on  the  old  English  ballad  entitled 
"The  Garland  of  Princely  Lovers,"  printed  at  the  end  of  the 
seventeenth  or  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century.  It  is  certainly 
a  pretty  tale.  To  some  extent  "A  Winter's  Tale"  agrees  with 
it.  The  veiled  statue  in  one  is  the  covered  picture  in  the  other. 
Bohemia  Is  the  scene  of  both.  I  have  worked  into  the  story 
the  fragmentary  ballad  of  the  Gardener,  which  seems  to  fit  it 
well,  and  the  incident  of  the  lady  making  a  ladder  with  her  hair, 
which  is  a  reminiscence  of  a  nursery  ballad  I  remember  indis- 
tinctly from  early  days. 

The  ballad  of  the  Gardener  is  to  be  found  in  Child's  English  and 
Scottish  Popular  Ballads,  Xo.  219,  from  Kinloch  and  Buchan. 
A  west  of  England  version  is  in  my  Songs  of  the  West.  It  is 
most  probably  a  mere  fragment  of  a  long  story,  the  point  of 
which  is  now  lost,  but  I  strongly  suspect  that  the  fragment  that 
remains  belonged  originally  to  an  English  version  of  the  myth 
of  Thorn-rose. 


57 


Ill 
THE    GOLDEN    BULL 


A  CERTAIN  king  was  a  very  stubborn  man. 
When  he  took  a  thing  into  his  head,  he  resolved  to 
carry  it  through  at  any  cost.  Now,  there  was  an 
island  in  the  seas  that  washed  his  shores,  ruled  over 
by  a  very  old  king,  who  took  so  much  snuff  that  he 
dirtied  not  only  his  face,  but  his  hands  and  all  his 
royal  garments.  Unless  he  were  new  dressed  every 
day,  he  made  such  a  disgusting  mess  of  himself  that 
he  was  not  fit  to  be  seen.  Accordingly,  as  it  would 
cripple  the  finances,  were  he  to  be  given  robes  in 
keeping  with  his  dignity  fresh  every  day,  he  was 
usually  put  in  a  cupboard,  and  only  brought  out  on 
great  occasions.  Now  the  stubborn  king  of  whom  I 
first  spoke  had  resolved  to  marry  his  daughter  to 
the  snuffy  old  king.  He  was  an  extremely  ambitious 
man,  and  he  thought  that  as  the  snuffy  king  spent 
nearly  all  his  time  in  a  cupboard,  if  this  snuffy  king 
were  married  to  his  daughter,  he  would  be  able  to 
rule  the  kingdom  of  the  snuffy  king  through  his 
daughter,  as  well  as  his  own. 

6i 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

When  the  princess  heard  what  was  designed,  she 
was  greatly  distressed,  and  implored  her  father  to 
desist  from  his  purpose.  But  he  could  not  be  turned 
from  it. 

Now  she  was  the  more  disposed  to  resist  his  will, 
because  a  handsome  young  prince  from  a  distant 
realm  had  come  to  her  father's  court  and  asked  for 
her  hand.  She  had  seen  him,  and  she  liked  him 
very  well,  and  when  she  learned  that  he  never  took 
snuff,  her  liking  became  ardent  love. 

Her  father  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  her  entreaties, 
and  to  the  solicitations  of  the  young  prince,  who  was 
very  sad,  and  would  have  departed  to  his  own 
country,  but  that  the  king  urged  him  to  remain  over 
the  wedding  festivities. 

As  the  princess  was  unable  to  dissuade  her  father 
from  the  proposed  union  with  the  snuffy  old  king, 
she  entreated  that  at  least  she  might  be  given  three 
suitable  dresses  in  which  to  be  married,  in  which 
to  travel,  and  in  which  to  appear  at  the  court  of  her 
intended  husband. 

One  of  these  dresses  was  to  be  like  the  sky, 
besprent  with  stars,  the  second  was  to  be  like  the 
sky  with  clouds  flying  in  it,  and  the  third  was  to  be 
embroidered  all  over  with  birds.  One  thing  further 
she  desired,  and  that  was  to  be  given  a  golden  bull. 
The  king  her  father  agreed  to  this. 

Accordingly,  she  went  to  the  goldsmith  who  was 
to  make  the  Golden  Bull,  and  she  told  him  to  make 
it  hollow,  and  to  contrive  a  door  in  the  side  that 
could  only  be  opened  by  herself  by  means  of  a  small 
key ;  and  that  was  to  be  so  neatly  managed  that  no 

62 


The  Golden  Bull 

one  could  see  the  door  or  the  keyhole  when  the  bull 
was  closed. 

All  was  done  exactly  as  she  had  desired,  and  the 
Golden  Bull  was  brought  into  her  room  before  the 
wedding,  and  very  beautifully  wrought  it  was.  It 
was  of  the  size  of  a  real  bull,  and  was  all  of 
pure  gold,  only  it  had  rubies  for  eyes  and  silver 
horns. 

Now  when  it  was  time  for  her  to  be  dressed 
for  the  wedding,  and  the  snuffy  old  king  was 
arrived,  the  princess  put  on  her  the  blue  robe 
sprinkled  with  stars,  and,  taking  with  her  the  two 
other  dresses,  she  stepped  into  tne  bull,  closed 
the  door  behind  her,  and  snap  —  she  was  fast 
inside. 

People  wondered  and  waited,  but  she  did  not 
appear.  The  king,  her  father,  sent  to  her  room  for 
her,  and  learned  with  great  rage  that  she  had  dis- 
appeared— run  away,  it  was  believed,  and  taken  her 
beautiful  dresses  with  her.  The  old  king,  the 
bridegroom,  began  to  cry,  for  he  had  been  kept 
from  snuff  for  twenty-four  hours,  to  make  him  look 
clean  and  respectable,  and  he  had  gone  through  this 
terrible  privation  all  for  nothing. 

Messengers  were  sent  in  all  directions,  but  no 
signs  of  the  lost  princess  were  found.  No  one 
could  imagine  what  had  become  of  her.  So  the 
snuffy  king  took  to  snuff  again,  and  went  back  to 
his  island.  The  sailors  put  him  in  a  cask  in  the 
bilge-water,  to  be  out  of  the  way  on  the  voyage, 
and  he  floated  about  there  snuffing  to  his  heart's 
content. 

63 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

The  king,  the  father  of  the  princess,  gave  the 
Golden  Bull  as  a  present  to  the  prince  who  had 
asked  for  the  princess's  hand,  as  some  amends  for 
the  refusal  of  the  lady,  his  daughter. 

The  prince  had  the  golden  bull  conveyed  on 
board  ship,  and  sailed  away  for  his  own  land. 

The  prince  was  afraid  lest  the  sailors  should 
scratch  their  names  on  the  Golden  Bull,  or  scrape  off 
dust  from  it,  accordingly  he  had  it  set  in  his  own 
cabin. 

One  night,  whilst  he  was  asleep,  and  the  sea  was 
calm,  the  princess  opened  the  door  in  the  bull's  side, 
came  out,  went  on  deck,  and  looked  at  the  still  sea 
that  glittered  in  the  moonlight.  She  was  in  her 
blue  dress  all  strewn  with  stars,  and  as  she  moved 
she  sparkled.  The  steersman  saw  her,  and  was 
dreadfully  alarmed.  She  said  nothing  to  him,  and 
after  a  while  she  went  below,  but  before  stepping 
into  the  bull  again,  she  went  to  the  side  of  the 
sleeping  prince,  bent  over  him,  and  kissed  his 
lips. 

He  woke  with  a  start,  and  thought  he  saw  a 
wonderful  vision  of  a  sparkling  woman  glide  away 
and  vanish.  In  fact,  when  he  woke,  the  princess 
had  fled,  gone  inside  the  bull,  and  shut  the  door 
once  more. 

During  the  day  he  heard  the  sailors  talk  of  the 
appearance  of  a  beautiful  spirit  in  the  ship,  and  he 
thought  this  must  have  something  to  do  with  what 
he  had  himself  seen. 

The  prince  was  sorely  puzzled  what  to  make  of 
that  which  he  had   seen.      He  had  caught  sight  of 

64 


The  Golden  Bull 

the  figure  for  a  moment  only,  and  that  as  he  woke 
from  sleep.  If  it  had  not  been  that  the  steersman 
declared  he  had  beheld  an  exactly  similar  figure  on 
the  deck  in  the  moonlight,  he  would  have  supposed 
himself  a  prey  to  night  fancies. 

As  he  was  thinking  this  matter  over  in  his 
cabin,  he  noticed  a  blue  ribbon  lying  on  the  floor 
near  the  Golden  Bull.  It  was  embroidered  with 
stars  of  pure  silver,  with  a  diamond  in  the  midst  of 
each. 

The  prince  considered  this  for  some  time.  He 
was  perfectly  certain  that  he  had  had  nothing  of  the 
kind  in  his  cabin  before.  It  matched  precisely  with 
the. dress  of  the  mysterious  figure  of  which  he  had 
seen  a  glimpse  during  the  night. 

He  folded  it  up  and  put  it  near  his  heart,  and  fell 
into  great  wonder  as  to  how  this  would  end. 

Now  the  prince  found  himself  thinking  a  great 
deal  about  the  princess  who  was  to  have  been 
married  to  the  snuffy  old  king,  and  he  mar\'elled 
how  she  could  have  disappeared  without  leaving  a 
trace  behind. 

There  was  one  thing  that  the  prince  considered  it 
was  his  duty  to  do,  and  that  was  to  have  the  vessel 
searched  from  deck  to  hold,  to  make  quite  certain 
that  no  one  was  concealed  in  it,  that  no  one  was  on 
board  except  himself  and  the  crew. 

A  search  was  accordingly  made,  but  it  led  to  no 
result  whatever,  for  they  did  not  think  of  examining 
the  inside  of  the  Golden  Bull,  not  knowing  from  the 
weight  that  it  was  hollow,  nor  being  able  to  see  that 
there  was  a  door  in  the  side,  so  cunningly  contrived 
5  65 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

had  that  been  by  the  goldsmith  to  whom  the  princess 
had  entrusted  the  work. 

There  are  ever  bad  men  in  the  world,  and  among 
the  bad  men  at  that  time  was  the  captain  of  the 
ship  in  which  was  the  prince.  He  had  cast  his 
covetous  eyes  on  the  Golden  Bull,  and  he  thought 
that  if  he  could  get  rid  of  the  prince,  he  might  be 
able  to  secure  this  valuable  object  for  himself,  so 
one  day,  after  he  had  told  his  intention  to  some  of 
the  sailors  who  were  likewise  of  covetous  minds,  he 
threw  the  prince  into  the  sea. 

However,  there  are  good  men  as  well  as  bad  in 
the  world,  and  there  were  of  both  on  the  vessel. 
The  mate,  when  he  saw  what  was  done,  hastily 
threw  a  hencoop  overboard,  and  the  prince  caught  at 
the  coop,  which  floated,  and  he  was  saved  from 
drowning.  The  waves  and  the  wind  washed  him 
ashore  on  a  little  island. 

The  captain  now  made  great  revelry.  He  had 
put  poison  into  the  drink  of  all  those  sailors  who 
had  not  joined  him,  and  there  was  great  drinking  in 
the  cabin  which  had  been  the  prince's.  But  just  as 
the  mate  was  putting  his  cup  to  his  lips,  all  at  once 
a  lady's  arm  was  passed  over  his  shoulder,  and  a 
delicate  hand  snatched  the  vessel  from  his  lips, 
turned  it  over,  and  spilled  the  contents  on  the  floor. 
He  started  and  looked  round,  but  saw  nothing  save 
the  Golden  Bull.  He  was  sitting  with  his  back  to  this 
when  the  thing  happened.  All  the  other  men,  after 
drinking,  fell  down  on  the  floor,  with  the  exception 
of  the  captain.  Those  who  had  been  true  to  the 
prince  never  rose  again,  for  they  had  been  poisoned, 

66 


The  Golden  Bull 

but  the  rest  were  drunken  and  drowsy,  and  they 
slept. 

The  captain  threw  himself  on  the  prince's  bed, 
and  very  soon  he  also  slept.  The  mate  pretended 
to  be  like  the  rest,  but  he  soon  saw  what  turn 
matters  had  taken,  and  presently  he  rose,  stepped  on 
deck,  and,  taking  the  steering  into  his  hands,  turned 
the  ship  round,  and  sailed  back  as  quickly  as  the 
wind  would  carry  her,  and  before  morning  was 
at  the  shore  upon  which  the  prince  had  been 
cast  up. 

He  saw  the  prince  on  the  beach,  and  signed  to 
him  to  come  on  board.  The  prince  did  this,  and  he 
and  the  mate  consulted  what  should  be  done.  They 
went  down  together  into  the  cabin  and  bound  the 
captain.  Then  they  roused  the  drunken  sailors ; 
and  found  that  those  on  whom  they  thought  they 
could  rely  were  all  dead. 

Now  the  prince  was  in  a  very  difficult  pass.  He 
needed  the  assistance  of  the  sailors  to  manage  the 
vessel.  So  he  spoke  to  them,  and  declared  that 
their  treachery  was  counteracted,  that  he  knew  they 
had  been  persuaded  to  do  wrong  by  the  captain, 
whom  he  had  bound  with  ropes,  and  would  hang 
when  he  came  to  land,  and  that  he  would  forgive 
them  if  they  proved  faithful  for  the  rest  of  the 
voyage. 

They  all  promised  to  make  amends  for  the  past ; 
and  the  prince,  who  was  of  a  generous  nature,  did 
not  mistrust  them.  The  mate  was  obliged  at  times 
to  take  his  rest,  and  then  the  crew  were  able, 
unobserved     and     unheard,    to     contrive     a     fresh 

67 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

treachery,  which  was  to  release  the  captain  from  his 
bonds. 

One  night,  when  the  sea  was  calm,  and  the  prince 
was  asleep  on  his  bed,  the  captain,  discharged  from 
his  bonds  by  his  confederates,  entered  the  cabin  with 
a  dagger  in  his  hand,  and  stole  in  stocking-soles 
towards  the  bed  where  the  prince  lay. 

He  raised  his  right  hand  to  strike  to  the  prince's 
heart,  and  to  make  sure  that  he  smote  him  a  death- 
wound  at  once,  he  drew  down  the  coverlet  so  as  to 
expose  his  breast  to  the  blade. 

But  at  that  moment  he  was  caught  from  behind, 
the  dagger  struck  out  of  his  hand,  and  he  was 
thrown  on  the  floor.  He  uttered  a  loud  cry,  and 
the  prince,  starting  from  sleep,  saw  a  mysterious 
figure  like  a  lady  in  a  dress  dappled  and  grey, 
who  was  withdrawing,  and  who  suddenly  disap- 
peared. 

His  attention  was  mainly  directed  to  the  captain, 
and  he  sprang  on  him  and  drove  the  dagger  into  his 
heart. 

Thus  was  he  happily  delivered  from  this  great 
danger ;  and  when  the  false-hearted  sailors  saw  that 
all  their  machinations  fell  through,  and  that  their 
captain  was  dead,  their  courage  failed,  and  they  asked 
forgiveness  again,  which  the  prince  accorded  them. 

He  now  appointed  the  mate  to  be  captain  of  the 
ship. 

He  was  much  perplexed  to  understand  how  and 
by  whom  he  had  been  aided.  Some  one  had  most 
assuredly  cast  the  treacherous  captain  down. 

Of  this  the  prince  was  made  more  confident  when 
6S 


The  Golden  Bull 

he  found  on  his  pillow  a  veil  of  the  finest  lawn,  light 
as  a  cloud.  This  must  have  been  dropped  by  the 
person  or  spirit  which  had  come  to  his  assistance. 
He  ordered  the  ship  to  be  again  searched  from  stern 
to  stern,  but  no  one  was  found  save  those  who  were 
well  known  to  be  in  the  vessel. 

Nothing  further  is  related  of  the  voyage  till  the 
prince  reached  his  native  land. 

Then,  with  great  care,  the  Golden  Bull  was  trans- 
ported from  the  ship  to  his  own  apartment  in  the 
palace. 

The  king  his  father  was  grieved  to  find  that  his 
son  returned  sad  at  heart.  In  fact,  his  mind  ran  on 
the  beautiful  princess,  who  was  to  have  been  married 
to  the  snuffy  old  king,  but  who  had  disappeared. 
He  found  that  he  could  not  get  her  out  of  his 
thoughts,  and  often  in  his  dreams  at  night  he 
fancied  he  saw  her  gliding  through  his  room,  and 
that  she  sometimes  came  to  his  side,  stooped 
and  kissed  him.  Then,  if  he  woke,  he  saw  a 
shadowy  figure  step  back  into  the  darkness  and 
vanish. 

Now,  one  night,  a  very  marvellous  thing  happened. 
It  was  the  eve  of  May  Day,  and  all  the  young  men 
had  gone  to  the  woods  singing,  to  bring  the  may 
bushes  home  to  plant  them  at  the  doors  of  their 
true  loves. 

The  prince  could  not  sleep.  He  was  thinking 
that  these  youths  all  had  their  true  loves,  and  he 
was  without  one.  The  only  princess  for  whom 
he  ever  could  care  was  lost,  and  whither  gone  none 
knew. 

69 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales  J 


He  heard  the  singers  go  by  under  his  window, 
and  this  was  their  song — 


Awake,  ye  pretty  maids,  awake 

Refreshed  from  dewy  dream. 
And  haste  to  dairy-house  and  take 

For  us  a  dish  of  cream. 

If  not  a  dish  of  yellow  cream, 

Then  give  us  kisses  three. 
The  woodland  bower  is  white  with  flower. 

And  green  is  every  tree. 

A  branch  of  may  we  bear  about, 

Before  the  door  it  stands, 
There's  not  a  sprout  unbudded  out, 

The  work  of  God's  own  hands. 

Awake,  awake,  ye  pretty  maids. 

And  take  the  maybush  in. 
Or  'twill  be  g-one  ere  to-morrow  morn, 

And  you'll  have  none  within. 


At  that  time  of  the  year  there  was  plenty  of 
light  in  the  sky,  and  though  the  prince  kept  his  eyes 
closed,  he  could  see  everything  in  his  room. 

All  at  once,  as  the  sound  of  the  song  died  away, 
he  beheld  the  side  of  the  Golden  Bull  open  and  a 
beautiful  lady  issue  from  it.  She  came  towards  him. 
He  saw  that  she  was  dressed  in  a  gown  that  was 
covered  with  all  the  birds  of  the  air.  There  was 
not  light  enough  for  him  to  distinguish  her  features, 
but  he  was  almost  sure  this  was  the  lost  princess. 
She  came  straight  towards  him,  stooped,  and  kissed 
his  lips. 

70 


The  Golden  Bull 

In  a  moment  he  had  his  arms  round  her,  and  held 
her,  and  asked  her  who  she  was. 

Then  she  was  obliged  to  tell  him  the  truth,  and  she 
explained  to  him  how  she  had  remained  hidden  in 
the  Golden  Bull,  and  that  she  alone  had  the  key 
whereby  the  side  could  be  opened. 

The  prince  then  bade  her  go  back  inside,  and 
remain  there  till  he  had  returned  from  a  progress  he 
had  to  make  through  the  kingdom,  to  receive  the 
homage  of  all  the  people,  as  his  father,  who  was 
very  old,  was  about  to  abdicate.  Before  she  retired,  he 
gave  her  a  costly  ring  from  his  finger,  and  he  told 
her  not  to  open  her  door  till  he  returned  and  knocked 
three  times  at  the  side  of  the  bull. 

Then  she  retreated,  and  he  started  on  his  journey. 
But  before  he  started,  his  mother  had  told  him  that 
his  father  and  she  had  arranged  to  have  him  married 
to  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  an  adjoining  country. 
This  made  the  prince  very  agitated,  and  he  assured 
his  mother  it  would  not  be  possible  for  him  to  do  so, 
as  his  heart  was  otherwise  engaged.  He  locked  the 
door  of  his  chamber,  gave  the  key  to  his  mother,  and 
bade  her  on  no  account  allow  anyone  to  enter  the 
room  during  his  absence. 

After  the  prince  had  been  gone  a  few  days,  three 
ladies  of  the  court,  who  were  great  favourites  of 
the  queen,  asked  to  be  allowed  to  look  at  the  prince's 
private  apartments  during  his  absence.  They  had 
heard  that  he  had  there  a  most  marvellous  work  of 
art,  a  bull  formed  of  pure  gold,  with  silver  horns  and 
ruby  eyes. 

The  queen  thought  there  could  be  no  great  harm 
71 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

in  letting  them  in,  so  she  gave  them  the  key,  and 
they  entered  the  prince's  chamber  and  examined 
everything  there  with  the  utmost  inquisitiveness. 

But  what  most  interested  them  was  the  Golden 
Bull.  They  looked  at  it  from  every  side;  and 
presently  one  of  the  ladies  said,  "  I  feel  as  if  I  could 
not  leave  the  place  till  I  had  kicked  it." 

"  Nor  I,"  said  the  second. 

"  Nor  I,"  said  the  third. 

Then  each  of  the  ladies  kicked  the  Golden  Bull, 
whereupon,  to  their  vast  astonishment,  the  door  in 
the  side  of  the  bull  opened,  and  the  beautiful  princess 
stepped  out.  Alas !  she  had  mistaken  their  kicks 
for  the  strokes  that  the  prince  had  assured  her  would 
be  the  signal  of  his  return. 

Now  when  the  three  ladies  saw  her,  they  cried 
out,  "  This  is  the  witch  who  has  won  the  heart  of  the 
prince,  so  that  he  cannot  marry  the  Princess  Borrio- 
boola,  whom  his  mother,  our  most  gracious  queen,  and 
his  royal  father  have  designed  for  him.  Let  us 
make  away  with  her,  and  then  he  will  do  his  duty." 

So  these  three  cruel  women  laid  their  hands  on 
the  unfortunate  princess,  drew  her  on  to  a  balcony, 
and  threw  her  into  the  river  beneath. 

Happily,  as  she  fell,  her  garments  spread  on  the 
waves,  and  they  were  of  such  a  texture  that  they  did 
not  draw  her  under.  On  the  contrary,  all  the 
embroidered  birds  thereon  at  once  began  to  flutter 
their  wings  and  chirp,  and  stay  her  up,  so  that  they 
bore  her  along  on  the  surface  down  the  stream,  till 
she  reached  a  point  where  she  could  step  ashore  with 
convenience. 

72 


The  Golden  Bull 

Then  all  the  birds  that  were  embroidered  on  her 
gown  became  mute  and  motionless,  and  were  em- 
broidery only. 

The  princess  sat  sad  under  a  tree.  Then  she 
divested  herself  of  the  dress  of  embroidered  birds, 
and  under  it  was  the  suit  of  the  clouds.  She  folded  up 
the  bird  suit  and  hid  it  in  the  branches  of  the  tree. 

Presently  a  serving-maid  came  to  the  river  to  fetch 
water,  and  she  saw  the  beautiful  lady  sitting  under 
the  tree  weeping,  in  her  gown  of  clouds.  The  maid 
was  so  astonished,  that  she  ran  back  to  the  house 
where  she  served  and  told  her  master.  Now  the 
master  happened  to  be  the  faithful  mate,  whom  the 
prince  had  advanced  to  be  captain. 

Hearing  the  strange  tale  of  the  serving-girl,  he 
ran  down  to  the  water's  edge,  and  saw  the  beautiful 
lady  in  a  suit  of  clouds,  sitting  weeping  under  a  tree. 
He  approached  her  with  great  respect,  and  she  told 
him  all  her  story. 

Then  he  mused  a  while,  and  presently  said,  "  I 
advise  you  to  come  to  my  house,  where  you  shall  be 
well  treated,  and  we  must  wait  till  the  return  of  the 
prince,  and  see  what  he  says  and  advises." 

This  seemed  excellent  judgment,  and  the  princess 
gladly  agreed  to  it. 

We  must  now  return  to  the  palace,  and  see  what 
was  taking  place  there.  The  ladies  told  the  queen 
what  they  had  done,  and  she  approved  of  their  con- 
duct. Then  they  advised  that  the  Golden  Bull  should 
be  removed  to  a  place  where  the  prince  might  not 
see  it,  and  that  they  should  brew  for  him  the  Water 
of  Oblivion.      To  this  his   mother  gladly  consented. 

73 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

The  Golden  Bull  was  conveyed  to  the  royal  mint  to 
be  melted  up.  The  three  ladies,  who  knew  some- 
thing of  witchcraft,  set  to  work,  and  concocted  a 
draught  which  would  take  away  from  anyone  who 
drank  of  it,  the  memory  of  the  past. 

Now  when  they  had  brewed  this,  they  brought  it 
to  the  queen,  and  she  undertook  to  give  it  to  her  son 
on  his  return. 

A  few  days  later,  the  prince  came  home,  full  of 
impatience  to  see  his  dear  princess,  who  lived  in  the 
Golden  Bull. 

No  sooner  had  he  arrived  at  the  palace,  than  his 
mother  met  him  at  the  entrance  with  a  cup  in  her 
hand,  and  said  to  him,  "  My  dear  son,  you  shall  not 
cross  the  threshold  till  you  have  drunk  to  the  health 
of  your  father  and  me." 

"  My  dearest  mother,"  he  replied, "  there  is  nothing 
you  bid  me — except  to  marry  the  Princess  Borrioboola, 
— that  I  will  not  do ; "  and  he  drank  off  the  contents 
of  the  goblet. 

Immediately  all  recollection  of  his  voyage,  of 
the  princess,  of  the  Golden  Bull,  passed  from  his 
mind.  He  went  to  his  room,  and  did  not  notice  that 
the  Golden  Bull  had  been  removed.  When  his 
father  informed  him  that  his  nuptials  with  the 
Princess  Borrioboola  were  to  take  place  in  three 
weeks,  he  acquiesced  as  a  matter  of  course. 

Therefore  great  gladness  came  over  the  hearts  of 
the  king  and  queen,  and  they  ordered  immediate 
preparations  for  the  wedding. 

The  tidings  soon  reached  the  princess,  who  was 
staying  with   the   captain,  and  she  wept  bitterly   at 

74 


The  Golden  Bull 

the  fickleness  of  the  youth  whose  life  she  had  saved 
and  who  had  professed  such  sincere  affection. 

The  captain  in  vain  endeavoured  to  comfort  her — 
she  would  not  be  comforted,  for  her  heart  was  com- 
pletely won. 

At  last  she  heard  that  the  prince  was  engaging 
many  servants  to  attend  on  him  and  the  princess 
who  was  to  be  his  wife.  So,  without  telling  even 
her  good  friend  the  captain,  she  disguised  herself  as 
a  page,  and  offered  herself  to  wait  upon  the  prince. 
She  was  at  once  accepted,  and  ordered  to  attend  at 
the  splendid  banquet  that  was  to  be  given  on  the 
evening  before  the  marriage.  The  poor  disguised 
princess  was  obliged  in  seeming  unconcern  to  see  him, 
and  to  stand  by  whilst  he  offered  a  thousand  civilities 
to  the  Princess  Borrioboola.  Her  heart  was  nearly 
broken.  She  inquired  of  his  attendants  about  the 
Golden  Bull,  and  heard  that  it  had  been  taken  to  be 
melted  up  to  be  struck  in  medals  to  commemorate 
the  event  of  the  prince's  marriage.  She  further 
learned  that  the  prince  had  not  noticed  the  removal 
of  the  bull,  nor  had  made  any  inquiries  about  it. 

At  the  banquet  she  stood  behind  his  chair,  and 
brought  to  him  the  wine  in  his  goblet.  Then  she 
slipped  the  ring  from  her  finger  and  dropped  it  in. 
The  prince  emptied  his  goblet,  and,  finding  something 
at  the  bottom,  looked  closely,  and  found  a  ring.  He 
took  it  out,  considered  it  attentively,  and  uttered  a 
loud  cry.  With  the  recovery  of  his  ring,  his  memory 
had  returned,  for  the  virtue  of  the  stone  in  the  ring 
was  such  that  it  expelled  all  poison  and  destroyed 
all  witchcraft. 

75 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

He  sprang  from  table,  and  asked  after  the  Golden 
Bull.  When  he  heard  that  it  was  to  be  melted  up, 
he  was  very  wroth,  and  insisted  on  being  conveyed 
immediately  to  the  mint.  Regardless  of  everything 
save  the  Golden  Bull  and  his  sweet  princess,  he 
hastened  from  the  palace,  and  arrived  at  the  mint 
just  as  the  bull  was  about  to  be  destroyed.  He  saw 
that  the  door  in  the  side  was  open  and  that  it  was 
empty.  Then  he  uttered  loud  cries,  demanding  the 
princess  who  had  lived  in  the  bull. 

He  ran  back  to  the  palace,  brandishing  his  sword, 
and  he  declared  that  he  would  be  the  death  of  any 
man  who  could  not  tell  him  what  had  become  of  the 
princess  who  lived  inside  the  bull. 

When  the  Princess  Borrioboola  heard  this,  she 
thought  he  must  be  demented,  and  she  hastily  ordered 
her  equipage,  that  she  might  depart.  She  had  no 
desire  to  be  the  wife  of  a  maniac. 

Presently  the  whole  palace  was  in  an  uproar. 
The  Princess  Borrioboola  departed.  The  prince 
rushed  from  one  room  to  another,  with  his  sword 
drawn,  crying  out  that  he  must  find  his  idolised 
princess. 

Then,  he  considered  that  she  had  worn  the  ring, 
and  he  began  to  call  out  for  the  page  who  had  given 
him  his  cup. 

But  the  page  could  nowhere  be  found.  But  instead 
of  the  page,  there  entered  his  own  beautiful  princess, 
in  her  garment  of  embroidered  birds,  and  all 
the  birds  were  fluttering  their  wings  and  singing. 
She  was  a  marvellous  sight,  and  it  was  wonderful  to 
hear  the  music  made  by  her  gown. 

76 


The  Golden  Bull 

When  the  prince  saw  her,  he  was  delighted.  He 
shed  floods  of  tears  and  clasped  her  to  his  heart. 

The  wedding  took  place  next  day,  and  the  Golden 
Bull  was  actually  melted  up  to  form  medals  in 
commemoration  of  this  happy  marriage.  The  prince 
urgently  entreated  the  princess  to  tell  him  who  were 
the  three  ladies  who  had  thrown  her  into  the  river, 
and  he  would  have  them  burned  alive;  but  so  good 
of  heart  was  she,  that  she  refused  to  tell  him,  and 
they  escaped  without  being  punished,  which  was 
more  than  they  deserved. 

I  have  read  in  ancient  history  that  the  Princess 
Borrioboola  was  married  to  the  snuffy  old  king,  and 
that  they  lived  happily  together,  and  that  she  got  to 
like  tobacco,  and  took  to  chewing  a  quid.  But  you 
cannot  trust  all  history. 

Note. — The  story  of  the  Golden  Bull  is  based  on  an  old  English 
ballad  of  the  same  title,  which  is  merely  a  folk-tale  thrown  into 
wretched  jingling-  rhyme.  The  full  title  is  "The  Golden  Bull,  or 
the  Garland  of  Love's  Craftiness."  The  date  of  the  ballad  is  the 
middle  or  end  of  last  century.  It  was  printed  in  Boro'  Churchyard. 
In  several  points  it  resembles  Catskin.  Not  only  in  both  are  there 
the  three  suits  of  garments,  but  in  the  Golden  Bull  the  prince  falls 
sick.  In  Catskin  sickness  is  feigned.  I  have  altered  the  conclu- 
sion in  order  to  avoid  the  too  close  similarity,  and  have  also  a 
little  amplified  the  middle  of  the  tale  with  the  appearances  of  the 
lady  emerging  from  the  bull.  One  characteristic  feature  belonging 
to  the  opening  of  the  story,  which  classifies  it  with  a  whole  series 
of  folk-tales,  for  very  good  reasons  I  have  had  to  modify. 

There  is  no  copy  of  this  ballad  in  the  Roxburghe  Collection,  nor 
in  the  Douce,  but  I  believe  there  is  one  in  the  Madder  Collection, 
in  Cambridge  House  Library.  It  was  printed  and  sold  by  J. 
Evans,  41  Long  Lane. 

Tom  Dibdin  one  day  bought  the  little  chap-book  tale,  and  was 
so  struck  with  it  that  he  composed  out  of  it  the  popular  musical 
sketch  or  operetta  of  "  The  Casket,"  1803. 

77 


IV 

SOUTHERNWOOD 


There  was  once  a  girl.  She  lived  by  the  sea. 
Every  day  she  went  down  on  the  sea  wall,  and  sat 
there  on  the  chalkstones  of  which  the  wall  was 
built,  and  stuck  sprigs  of  southernwood  in  her  hair, 
and  rubbed  the  leaves  in  her  hands.  And  because 
she  always  smelt  of  southernwood,  both  because  of 
the  sprigs  in  her  hair,  and  because  she  rubbed  the 
leaves  in  her  hands,  and  because  she  sat  among  the 
bushes  and  on  the  young  shoots,  for  this  reason  folk 
called  her  Southernwood.  Whether  she  had  any 
other  name,  and  if  so,  what  it  was,  I  do  not  know. 

One  day,  as  she  sat  on  the  sea  wall  looking  out 
to  sea,  she  saw  the  sharp  fin  of  a  shark  coming  along, 
and  a  fish  which  the  shark  was  pursuing  leaped  out 
of  the  water  and  fell  into  her  lap,  and  lay  there  gasp- 
ing and  turning  all  colours,  green,  and  yellow,  and 
blue,  and  pink. 

Then  Southernwood  picked  flints  and  chalkstones 
out  of  the  wall,  and  threw  them  at  the  shark,  and 
6  8i 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

drove  it  away,  back  into  the  deep  sea.  And  when 
she  saw  it  was  gone,  she  put  back  the  little  rainbow 
fish  into  the  water,  and  it  swam  away  quite  joyous. 

Next  day,  when  Southernwood  came  down  to  the 
beach  and  sat  on  the  sea  wall,  she  saw  the  rainbow 
fish  come  swimming  to  her,  and  it  had  a  gold 
ball  in  its  mouth,  and  it  rolled  the  golden  ball  to 
her  feet,  and  then  swam  away. 

Southernwood  picked  up  the  ball  and  played  with 
it.  She  threw  it  up  and  caught  it  again ;  she  rolled 
it  before  her,  and  ran  after  it. 

As  she  was  going  home,  she  passed  along  the 
paling  of  the  park  of  the  Reeve  of  Lynn.  She 
stood  at  the  gate,  which  was  ajar,  and  looked  in  to 
see  the  beautiful  trees,  and  flowers,  and  peacocks. 
And  as  she  stood  looking,  the  ball  rolled  out  of  her 
hand  and  ran  in  at  the  gate.  Then  she  was 
frightened,  for  she  could  not  get  the  ball  again 
without  going  after  it.  To  go  after  it  within  the 
park  of  the  Reeve  of  Lynn  she  thought  would  be  a 
great  liberty. 

However,  she  saw  no  one  about,  and  she  could 
not  bear  to  lose  her  golden  ball,  so  she  slipped  in 
at  the  gate,  and  as  she  stooped  to  pick  up  the  ball, 
she  touched  the  gate  with  her  heel,  and  it  swang 
together,  and  shut  with  a  snap.  Then  she  was  fast 
as  a  bird  in  a  snare,  or  a  rat  in  a  trap. 

She  was  dreadfully  unhappy,  and  tried  in  vain  to 
open  the  gate.  She  wept,  and  she  pulled  at  the 
handle  till  the  blood  ran  out  under  her  nails ;  but 
she  could  not  open  it. 

Then  she  saw  coming  towards  her  an  old  lady 
82 


Southernwood 

with  snow-white  hair,  very  stately,  and  very  richly 
dressed,  and  she  knew  it  was  the  Reeve's  mother. 

The  lady  said  to  her,  "  Now  you  are  in  my  park, 
you  must  come  and  be  my  servant.  You  will  have 
to  clean  the  boots,  and  make  the  beds,  and  do  the 
cooking-,  and  mind  the  cellar,  and  wait  at  table. 
And  for  all  that  you  shall  have  the  great  and 
unparalleled  honour  of  being  entitled  the  maid-of-all- 
work  to  His  Excellence  the  Reeve  of  Lynn." 

Southernwood  could  not  help  herself  She  was 
fast  in  the  grounds  of  the  Reeve,  and  could  not 
get  out. 

Then  the  lady  began  to  instruct  her  as  to  the 
condition  of  affairs  in  the  Reeverie,  as  the  house  was 
called. 

"  You  must  know  and  understand,"  said  the  lady, 
"  that  my  son  is  a  very  worthy  and  affectionate 
character,  when  his  heart  is  in  the  right  place.  But 
there,'  continued  she  "  is  the  rub.  His  heart 
straggles  about.  Sometimes  he  leaves  it  on  the 
table,  or  in  his  portmanteau  and  it  is  lost.  You 
have  no  idea  what  cruel  things  he  will  do  when 
he  is  heartless.  He  will  stick  pins  into  cockchafers 
and  spin  them.  He  once  tied  the  cat  and  dog 
together  by  their  tails.  He  once  took  my  pet  bull- 
finch— but  I  will  spare  you  the  harrowing  details.  I 
had  to  turn  everything  up  and  down  till  I  found 
and  restored  his  heart  to  its  right  place,  and  then  he 
was  quite  overcome  with  regret  for  the  batbarities 
he  had  committed." 

"  That  is  very  shocking,"  said  Southernwood. 

"  You  are  right,"  said  the  lady.  "  You  see  my 
83 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

hair  is  turned  silver.  One  lock  turned  white  through 
his  cruelties."  She  continued :  "  Sometimes  his 
heart  is  in  his  stomach,  and  then  he  is  excessively- 
greedy.  He  is  then  not  only  greedy,  but  offen- 
sively dainty.  He  grumbles  about  his  food,  picks  it, 
leaves  half  on  his  plate,  and  turns  up  his  nose  at 
all  wines  except  the  crustiest  port  and  the  driest 
Sillery." 

"  That  is  very  disgusting,"  said  Southernwood.  "  I 
have  been  taught  to  be  content,  and  thankful  for 
plain  food." 

"  Quite  right  too,"  answered  the  lady.  "  It  is 
disgusting,  and  his  greediness  and  daintiness  turned 
the  second  lock  of  my  hair  silver."  She  continued  : 
"  Sometimes  his  heart  is  in  his  pocket,  and  then  he 
becomes  outrageously  avaricious.  You  must  know 
that  the  duties  of  Reeve  require  him  to  impose  and 
gather  in  the  local  taxes  and  rates  of  the  town  of 
Lynn.  Now,  when  his  heart  is  in  his  pocket, 
then  he  oppresses  and  tyrannises  over  the  citizens 
of  Lynn  to  such  an  extent,  that,  unless  I  picked  his 
pocket,  and  restored  his  heart  to  the  right  place,  a 
rebellion  would  break  out,  and  he  would  have  his 
reeveship  taken  from  him." 

"  That  is  very  painful,"  said  Southernwood. 

"  It  is  extremely  painful  and  distressing,"  answered 
the  lady.  "  And  his  conduct  in  this  matter  has  so 
troubled  me  that  it  has  turned  the  third  lock  of  my 
head  white  as  snow.  But  I  will  proceed."  Then 
she  went  on  to  say  :  "  Sometimes  he  gets  his  heart 
down  into  his  boots.  You  must  know  that  one  of 
the  offices  and  duties  and  responsibilities  of  a  Reeve 

84 


Southernwood 

is  to  call  out  and  conduct  the  militia  in  times  of 
peril.  We  are  on  the  sea,  and  exposed  to  foreign 
invasion.  The  Danes  make  descents  on  us  and 
ravage  the  country.  On  such  occasions  the  Reeve  is 
expected  to  marshal  the  forces  of  Lynn  and  fall  on 
the  enemy.  But  when  my  son  has  his  heart  in  his 
boots,  he  runs  away  and  hides  in  a  mulberry  bush, 
and  leaves  the  militia  to  make  head  against  the 
enemy  undirected." 

"  That  is  simply  scandalous,"  said  Southernwood. 

"  It  is  as  you  say,  scandalous,"  acquiesced  the  lady. 
"  And  his  conduct  in  times  of  great  national  peril 
from  invaders  has  turned  the  fourth  lock  of  my  hair 
to  silver."  Then  the  lady  proceeded  :  "  Sometimes 
my  son  gets  his  heart  into  his  mouth,  and  then 
there  is,  I  can  assure  you,  nothing  he  will  not 
blab.  He  reveals  not  only  all  family  affairs,  but 
also  all  the  concerns  of  the  town  charities,  which  are 
managed  by  the  Reeve  and  aldermen,  and  will  not 
bear  looking  into.  He  has  caused  great  confusion 
and  irritation  by  his  talkativeness  on  such  occasions." 

"  That  is  most  injudicious,"  said  Southernwood. 

"  It  is  eminently  injudicious,"  answered  the  lady ; 
"  and  I  have  long  feared  that  all  participation  in  the 
direction  and  distribution  of  the  charities  will  be 
taken  from  him — and  then,  where  should  we  be  ? 
Solicitude  on  this  account  has  turned  to  white  the 
fifth  lock  of  my  hair.  I  will  now  tell  you  something 
more." 

"  I  pray  you  proceed,"  said  Southernwood  ;  "  what 
you  relate  is  most  interesting." 

"  Then,"    said    the    lady,   "  you    must    know    that 

85 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

one  of  the  offices  of  the  Reeve  is  to  be  justice  of 
the  peace,  or,  as  it  is  more  elegantly  put,  of  the 
quorum,  which  is  an  expression  which  nobody 
understands,  and  which  therefore  is  regarded  as 
poetical,  and  generally  preferred.  As  justice  of  the 
quorum,  all  kinds  of  evil-doers,  and  those  suspected 
as  evil-doers,  are  brought  before  him  on  the  bench. 
Now,  not  infrequently,  so  careless  is  my  son  that  he 
leaves  his  heart  on  the  window  sill,  and  it  gets  cold. 
When  he  is  cold-hearted,  he  judges  with  extreme 
hastiness,  and  is  incapable  of  admitting  any  extenua- 
tion in  the  case  of  misdemeanours." 

"  That  is  very  sad,"  said  Southernwood. 

"  It  is  more  than  sad,  it  is  inhuman,"  answered  the 
Reeve's  mother ;  "  and  his  inhumanity  on  the  Bench 
has  turned  my  sixth  lock  snow-white.  I  will  now 
proceed  to  explain  what  has  blanched  my  last  lock 
of  hair.  This  is  occasioned  by  his  putting  his  heart 
on  the  hob,  or  too  near  the  fire,  or  warming  it  in 
sack  posset.  Then  he  is  unpleasantly  warm-hearted. 
You  may  find  on  such  occasions  that  he  will  chuck 
you  under  the  chin,  and  try  to  kiss  you,  and  even 
urge  you  to  name  the  day — which,"  pursued  the 
lady,  "  is  clean  ridiculous,  as  he  is  Reeve,  and  you 
in  a  menial  position." 

"  This  is  positively  terrifying,"  said  Southernw^ood. 
"  I  do  not  feel  inclined  to  accept  your  situation, 
madam." 

"  You  cannot  escape  from  it,"  answered  the  lady 
promptly.  "  Here  you  are,  and  here  you  remain, 
anyhow  for  one  month." 

"  I  shall  be  in  mortal  terror  of  the  Reeve,"  said 
S6 


Southernwood 

Southernwood,  "  Is  there  no  means,  madam, 
whereby  the  heart  of  your  son  can  be  fixed  in  the 
right  place.  It  seems  to  me,  speaking  with  all  due 
deference,  that  it  is  always  wandering  and  losing 
itself,  and  getting  where  it  should  not  be." 

"  I  have  considered  that,"  said  the  lady ;  "  and 
now  you  put  it  to  me,  I  have  a  scheme  which  I 
anticipate  will  have  the  desired  effect.  I  think,  if 
you  will  assist  me  in  melting  some  strong  fish-glue 
that  we  may  be  able  to  put  glue  on  his  heart,  and 
so  fasten  it  solidly  in  the  right  place.  It  will  then 
only  be  in  very  damp  weather — damp,  and  warm, 
and  relaxing — that  we  need  entertain  any  solicitude 
about  his  heart  becoming  detached." 

"  I  will  assist  you  with  great  pleasure,"  said 
Southernwood. 

Accordingly  the  lady  and  Southernwood  filled 
the  outer  receptacle  of  the  glue-pot  with  hot  water, 
and  put  two  spoonfuls  of  water  with  the  glue. 

"  It  must  not  be  too  weak,"  said  the  lady. 

"  Nor  too  stiff,"  said  the  maiden. 

Then  the  Reeve  of  Lynn  was  fetched,  and  placed 
reclining  on  a  sofa,  and  Southernwood  gave  him  her 
golden  ball  to  play  with,  whilst  they  melted  the  glue, 
and  got  his  heart  smeared  with  it.  The  mother  had 
found  him  dozing,  in  a  soporific  condition,  as  she 
expressed  it,  because  he  had  put  his  heart  under 
the  pillow  on  going  to  bed,  and  had  forgotten  it 
there.  It  had  been  found  when  the  bed  was  made  in 
the  morning,  and  a  good  deal  of  feather-down  adhered 
to  it,  because  there  was  a  hole  in  the  pillow  that  had 
been  neglected  by  the  last   maid,  who  was  careless 

87 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

and    a  bad   needlewoman,  having  been   brought  up 
with  a  sewing-machine  from  earliest  infancy. 

The  Reeve  remained  quite  pleased,  playing  with 
the  golden  ball,  whilst  his  mother  endeavoured  to 
brush  away  the  down  from  his  heart. 

Meanwhile  the  water  in  the  pot  boiled,  and 
bubbled  over.  "  The  glue  is  melted  and  steaming," 
said  Southernwood.  Then  the  lady  came  to  the 
glue-pot  with  the  heart  in  her  hand,  but  the  steam 
came  over  her  fingers  and  scalded  them,  and  with 
an  exclamation  of  pain,  and  not  considering  what 
she  did,  she  dropped  her  son's  heart,  and  it  fell  into 
the  glue-pot  and  was  completely  immersed  in  the 
fluid  fish-glue. 

The    Reeve   uttered    a    shriek    of   agony — threw 
away  the  golden  ball  and  writhed  in  extremity  of  M 
torture  on    the  floor.     The  lady  in  her  terror  and    ■ 
distress    put    her    fingers    into   the    pot    to    remove 
the   heart,   but   burnt   them    so   that   she   could    do 
nothing. 

"  Quick  !  the  sugar-tongs  !  "  she  shouted. 

"  Where  are  they,  madam  ?  "  asked  Southernwood. 
But  before  she  received  an  answer  the  door  was 
burst  open,  and  in  came  the  Queen  of  the  Elves,  in 
flaming  rage,  with  lightning  flashing  from  her  eyes. 
She  rushed  to  the  fire  and  snatched  up  the  glue-pot, 
then  to  the  Reeve  and  caught  him  in  her  arms,  and 
as  she  retired  through  the  door  she  cried,  "  And 
is  this  the  treatment  my  elf  son  receives  among 
mortals  !  " 

Then  she  disappeared,  carrying  with  her  the 
Reeve  and  his  heart  in  the  glue-pot. 

88 


Southernwood 

Now  after  this  the  lady  recovered  her  composure. 
She  wept  a  great  deal,  and,  sitting  on  the  sofa, 
beckoned  Southernwood  to  her.  Southernwood 
prepared  to  seat  herself,  but  the  lady  said,  with 
dignity,  through  her  tears,  "  Nay,  not  so.  You 
occupy  a  menial  position,  so  stand  and  listen  to  me." 
Then  the  lady  said,  "  Now  I  am  certain  of  what  I 
long  guessed,  or,  to  put  it  more  elegantly,  entertained 
suspicions.  The  Reeve  zuas  a  changeling.  When  he 
was  a  babe,  or  rather,  when  my  babe  was  born, 
before  he  was  christened,  on  one  occasion,  the  nurse 
brought  in  some  guava  jelly  into  my  room,  and  for 
a  moment  I  turned  my  attention  from  my  cherished 
infant  and  only  child  to  the  consumption  of  guava 
jelly.  In  that  moment,  it  is  my  belief,  the  Queen  of 
the  Fairies  effected  a  change.  She  carried  off  my 
son,  who  was  the  beautifullest,  most  virtuous  and 
intelligent  baby  ever  was  seen  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
hours,  and  she  put  her  own  brat  in  his  place.  This 
has  been  the  occasion  of  all  my  sorrow  and  all  my 
difficulty  with  the  Reeve.  You  must  know  that  the 
Reeveship  of  Lynn  is  hereditary  in  our  family.  His 
father  died  at  the  birth  of  the  blessed  babe ;  accord- 
ingly, from  the  cradle  my  infant  was  Reeve  of  Lynn  ; 
but  his  function  and  office  and  authority  have  all 
these  many  years  been  usurped  by  an  elfin  changeling, 
whose  heart  was  rarely,  if  ever,  in  the  right  place." 

"  But,"  said  Southernwood,  "  why  should  the 
Queen  of  the  Elves  have  changed  babes  with  you  ?  " 

"  The  reason,  I  have  no  doubt,  is  this.  Every 
twenty  years  a  full-grown  elf  has  to  be  given  up  to  the 
great  whale.  Leviathan,  who  lies  in  the  Wash,  which 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

is  that  tract  of  sea  into  which  discharge  the  Glen, 
the  Nene,  the  Ouse,  and  the  Nar,  and  on  which  we 
are  situated  here  at  Lynn.  I  strongly  suspect  that, 
in  order  to  save  some  elfin  youth  from  being 
sacrificed  to  the  great  Leviathan,  this  change  has 
been  effected,  and  my  poor  son  is  to  be  delivered  over 
to  the  voracity  of  the  monster ;  indeed,  there  is  no 
saying  but  that  he  may  already  have  fallen  a  victim." 

Southernwood  tried  ineffectually  to  console  her 
mistress.  But,  finding  her  efforts  in  vain,  she 
picked  up  her  golden  ball  and  left  the  room.  She 
went  down  into  the  park,  and  considered  what  had 
happened. 

Now  youthful  hearts  are  buoyant,  and  she  soon 
took  pleasure  in  the  beauties  of  the  garden,  and  was 
especially  attracted  by  some  water  lilies,  silver  and 
gold,  that  floated  on  a  little  pond  in  the  park.  She 
desired  greatly  to  pluck  one  of  these  beautiful 
flowers,  but  in  straining  to  get  one,  she  let  fall  the 
golden  ball,  and  it  rolled  into  the  water. 

She  could  not  think  of  not  making  every  effort  to 
recover  the  gift  of  the  rainbow  fish.  So  she  took 
off  her  shoes  and  stockings  and  went  into  the  pond. 
Then  she  stooped,  but  at  once  the  ball  rolled  in 
deeper.  So  she  waded  to  her  knee.  She  could  still 
see  the  ball  shining  through  the  water,  so  she 
stooped  to  take  it.  Again  the  ball  rolled  away,  as 
her  fingers  touched  it,  and  she  was  constrained  to 
wade  up  to  her  waist.  As  the  ball  was  still  discern- 
ible, she  put  down  her  arm  through  the  water,  but 
in  her  effort  to  secure  it  touched  it  with  her  foot, 
and  it  rolled  on,  still   farther  to  the   middle  of  the 

90 


Southernwood 

pond.  Then  Southernwood  waded  on  till  the  water 
reached  her  armpits. 

As  she  saw  the  ball  glimmering  out  of  the  depth, 
she  made  a  dive,  got  her  head  under  water,  and 
grasped  the  ball. 

But  now,  imagine  what  happened  ! 

To  her  great  surprise  she  found  herself  in  a  new 
world.  She  was  walking  on  sparkling  sands  in 
which  were  beautiful  shells,  and  trees  of  coral  and 
waterweed  grew  before  her,  and  the  loveliest  fish 
swam  about  and  lodged  in  the  branches  of  coral  and 
weed. 

As  she  looked  about  in  the  greatest  admiration, 
she  heard  a  sad  voice  lamenting,  and  she  held  her 
breath  and  listened.  The  voice  was  that  of  a  young 
man,  and  he  sang — 

"Alack   and  a  day  that  I  must  die 

(The  prickles  are  sharp,  but  the  leaves  are  green), 
And  never  again  see  the  Norfolk  sky 
(And  the  sweet  birds  sing  in  the  treen). 

Alack  and  a  day  that  the  loathly  whale 

(The  prickles  are  sharp,  but  the  leaves  are  green). 

Will  swallow  me  up  withouten  fail 

(And  the  sweet  birds  sing  in  the  treen). 

Alack  and  a  day,  I  would  see  the  sun 
(The  prickles  are  sharp,  but  the  leaves  are  green), 

Before  my  bonnie  sweet  life  is  done 
(And  the  sweet  birds  sing  in  the  treen)." 

When  Southernwood  heard  this,  then,  she  was  full 
of  wonder  and  sorrow,  for  she  remembered  what  the 

91 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

lady  had  said  to  her,  and  she  stole  along  on  tiptoe, 
to  observe  the  singer  unseen.  She  saw  a  beautiful 
young  man  sitting  under  a  bush  of  coral.  He  was 
very  pale  and  sad.  He  heard  the  rustle  of  her 
movements  as  she  stirred  the  bushes  and  broke  off 
the  twigs,  and  he  started  to  his  feet  and  looked  at 
her  with  amazement. 

He  asked  who  she  was,  and  she  told  him  all.  Then 
she  asked  him  why  he  wept  and  sang  so  doleful  a 
ditty.  And  he  said  to  her  that  he  was  in  Elfinland, 
and  it  was  the  custom  in  Elfinland  every  twenty 
years  to  deliver  up  a  full-grown  elf  to  the  great 
Leviathan  who  lived  in  Lynn  Deeps  in  the  Wash. 
At  one  time  they  used  to  give  a  child  every  ten 
years  to  the  monster;  but  they  considered  that  this 
was  such  a  sacrifice,  that  it  would  be  preferable  to 
feed  the  loathly  whale  once  in  twenty  year*:  with  a 
full-grown  elf;  and,  he  added,  the  elves  did  all  in 
their  power  to  secure  human  children  in  exchange 
for  their  own,  that  they  might  rear  them  up  for  the 
food  of  the  monster.  This  is  what  had  occurred  to 
him.  He  had  been  carried  away  when  in  his  cradle, 
because  his  mother  had  not  watched  him  every 
moment  night  and  day  till  he  was  christened.  And 
now  he  was  twenty,  and  the  Elfin  Queen  was  going 
to  convey  him  to  the  Wash  and  cast  him  to  the 
Leviathan.  He  said,  moreover,  that  every  time  the 
lot  was  cast  who  was  to  provide  the  victim  on  the 
next  occasion.  On  the  last  the  lot  had  fallen  to  the 
Elfin  Queen,  and  she  must  either  sacrifice  her  own 
child  or  that  of  human  parents.  Accordingly,  she 
had  made  an  exchange,  and  had  left  her  child  with 

92 


Southernwood 

his  mother,  and  had  taken  him  away  from  his 
mother,  and  had  nourished  him  up  till  now,  and  that 
night  he  was  to  be  taken  to  be  cast  into  the  maw  of 
the  loathly  whale. 

When  Southernwood  heard  this,  she  was  much 
amazed,  and  she  further  asked  the  youth  whether 
there  was  no  hope  of  saving  him. 

He  answered  that  there  was.  As  it  happened, 
that  very  day  the  Elf  Queen  had  brought  back  her 
own  son  into  Elfland,  he  was  very  ill  because  his 
heart  had  fallen  into  a  glue-pot.  Now,  if  only  he, 
the  human  youth,  could  be  rescued,  then  the  Elf 
Queen  would  have  to  deliver  up  her  recovered  son ; 
and  as  there  was  no  probability  of  his  heart  ever 
being  cleansed  again  from  the  adhesive  and  disgust- 
ing material  in  which  it  was  enveloped,  it  would  be 
no  grea.t  matter  if  he  were  eaten. 

Southernwood  asked  how  the  youth  might  be 
saved. 

Then  he  answered  and  said,  "  This  night,  when 
the  moon  rises,  a  great  train  of  elves  will  issue  from 
the  pond,  which  is  the  great  entrance  to  Fairyland. 
Before  them  will  travel  the  will  o'  the  wisp,  and 
you  will  hear  fairy  music.  Then  will  come  the 
elf-folk  in  three  companies,  on  their  tiny  horses." 

"How  shall  I  know ^you,",  asked  Southernwood, 
"  when  so  many  pass  by  ?  " 

Then  he  replied — 

"The  very  first  band  that  passes  by, 
Say  nothing  to  that  show. 
The  very  next  band  that  passes  by, 
Say  nothing  and  let  it  go." 

93 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

"  But     when     the     third     company     passes,    how 
shall  I  know  you  in  that  ?  "  asked  the  maiden. 

**0  first  let  pass  the  black,  black  steed. 
And  then  let  pass  the  brown  ; 
But  when  you  see  a  milkwhite  steed, 
Then  cast  the  rider  down. 

My  rig-ht  hand  it  shall  wear  a  glove, 

My  left  hand  shall  be  bare  ; 
And  these  the  tokens  I  give  you,  love, 

By  which  you'll  know  me  there." 

"  But  how,"  asked  the  maiden,  "  shall  I  be  able  to 
cast  you  off  your  milkwhite  steed  ?  " 

"O  you  must  take  your  golden  ball, 
And  cast  it  unto  me. 
And  if  you'd  make  the  white  horse  fall. 
Then  strike  him  above  the  knee." 

"  And  when  the  horse  Is  struck,  what  shall   I   do 
then  ?  "  asked  Southernwood. 

**  O  take  me  in  your  arms,  fair  maid. 
And  hold  me  to  your  heart. 
Whate'er  you  see,  be  not  afraid. 
And  never  from  me  let  part. 

They'll  turn  me  in  your  arms,  fair  lass, 

To  an  adder  and  a  worm  ; 
But  hold  me  fast,  nor  let  me  pass. 

And  none  shall  do  you  harm. 

They'll  turn  me  in  your  arms,  fair  lass. 

To  an  adder  and  a  snake  ; 
But  hold  me  fast,  nor  let  me  pass. 

And  all  for  my  mother's  sake. 

They'll  turn  me  in  your  arms,  fair  maid, 

To  a  goose,  and  then  a  swan. 
Then  wrap  your  mantle,  nor  be  afraid. 

And  again  I'm  a  Christian  man." 

94 


Southernwood 

Now  when  the  young  man  had  said  this,  he  bade 
Southernwood  make  haste  to  depart,  before  the 
elves  should  see  her.  If  they  were  to  find  her  in 
their  realm,  they  might  detain  her  there,  and  not 
suffer  her  to  depart.  Perhaps  they  might  even 
retain  her  for  the  next  occasion  when  the  Leviathan 
had  to  be  fed. 

He  bade  her  roll  the  golden  ball  before  her,  and 
follow  where  it  led.  She  did  so,  and  the  ball  rolled 
away,  and  she  ran  after  it.  Then  she  rose  out  of 
the  water,  first  her  head,  then  her  shoulders,  then 
her  body  to  the  waist.  Lastly  she  rose  to  her  knees, 
and  she  forthwith  stepped  on  land. 

Never  one  word  did  she  speak  of  what  she  had 
seen  and  heard,  but  that  night,  just  before  the  moon 
rose,  she  went  into  the  garden  and  waited  near  the 
gate,  for  she  knew  that  the  elfin  train  would  pass 
that  way.  Then  presently  she  saw  the  horn  of  the 
moon  glitter  over  the  wall,  and  immediately  a  little 
will  o'  the  wisp  danced  down  the  drive.  And  when 
it  came  to  the  gates,  they  opened  of  themselves, 
quite  wide,  and  the  flame  passed  through. 

Next  she  heard  the  sweetest  and  softest  music, 
so  soft  and  sweet  that  she  nearly  closed  her  eyes 
and  slept  for  pleasure.  But  there  was  spear-grass 
growing  near,  and  she  took  the  spear  -  grass  and 
twisted  it  in  her  hair  and  pulled,  and  it  drew  her 
hair  together  with  much  pain,  and  that  kept  her 
awake. 

The  first  band  that  passed  consisted  of  fairy  pages 
on  tiny  ponies. 

Southernwood    had    not   only   been    assured    that 
95 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

the  true  Reeve  of  Lynn  would  not  be  in  that 
company,  but  also  she  knew,  by  the  size  of  those 
who  rode,  that  among  them  he  could  not  be. 

The  next  band  that  passed  consisted  of  fairy 
damosels,  the  maidens  in  waiting,  the  ladies  of  the 
bedchamber,  the  ladies  of  the  bathroom,  the  ladies 
of  the  store-cupboard  and  the  ladies  of  the  dairy. 

Southernwood  had  been  told  to  let  the  second 
company  pass  unnoticed,  and  she  did  so,  not  only 
because  informed  that  the  true  Reeve  would  not  be 
there,  but  also  because  he  obviously  did  not  belong 
to  a  party  that  was  made  up  of  the  other  sex. 

But  when  the  third  band  passed,  it  was  otherwise. 
This  comprised  all  the  nobles  and  knights  of  Fairy- 
land, in  their  richest  vestures,  all  magnificently 
attired,  and  riding  beautiful  horses. 

Among  them  came  the  King  of  the  Elves  on  a 
black  steed,  and  Southernwood  let  him  pass. 

Next  came  the  Queen  of  the  Elves  on  a  brown 
jennet,  and  she  allowed  her  to  ride  by. 

But  when  she  saw  a  milkwhite  steed,  whereon 
rode  a  young  man  with  one  hand  gloved,  then  she 
knew  that  this  must  be  the  true  Reeve  of  Lynn,  who 
was  being  taken  to  be  devoured  by  the  sea-monster 
in  the  Wash. 

Then,  with  all  her  force,  she  threw  the  golden 
ball,  and  it  struck  the  white  palfrey  a  little  above 
the  knee.  The  horse  stumbled,  went  down  and 
rolled  over,  and  his  rider  was  flung  on  the  grass. 

Instantly  Southernwood  sprang  to  him,  caught 
him  in  her  arms,  and  folded  her  mantle  about  him. 

There   was    a  great  cry    and    commotion   among 

96 


Southernwood 

the  elves,  they  came  round  the  maid,  and  the  knights 
levelled  their  spears  and  tilted  at  her,  but  could  not 
touch  her.  Then  the  queen  spoke  a  word  of  power ; 
and  immediately  the  beautiful  youth  in  Southern- 
wood's arms  became  a  writhing,  hideous  serpent 
with  three  heads,  that  put  forth  forked  tongues  and 
threatened  to  bite  her  and  spit  poison.  But  she 
had  a  brave  heart,  and  she  did  not  let  go  her  hold. 

Then  the  queen  spake  a  second  word  of  power, 
and  immediately  the  serpent  became  a  great  fire  of 
flames  and  smoke  in  Southernwood's  arms,  rushing 
up  and  surrounding  her  face.  But  she  remained 
firm,  and  wrapped  her  mantle  the  tighter  about  the 
fire,  and  it  waxed  faint. 

Then  the  queen  spake  a  third  word  of  power,  and 
at  once  the  fire  was  transformed  into  a  white  swan. 
Southernwood  held  the  great  swan  very  fast,  although 
it  fluttered  and  struggled  to  disengage  its  wings. 

Thereupon  there  rose  a  sighing  and  a  sobbing, 
and  the  elves  ran  and  came  dragging  after  them  the 
false  Reeve  of  Lynn,  the  fairy  changeling.  The 
queen  wept  piteously,  but  it  was  of  no  avail,  he 
must  be  the  victim,  as  the  true  Reeve  had  been 
snatched  from  her  power. 

But  it  must  be  said  that  the  intended  victim 
seemed  indifferent  to  his  situation  and  regardless  of 
his  impending  fate.  This  was  perhaps  due  to  the 
enormous  amount  of  fish-glue  that  encased  his  heart, 
and  had  now  hardened. 

The  train  swept  on,  drawing  the  false  Reeve  with 
it.  Then  the  gates  closed,  and  no  more  of  the  elves 
was  seen  or  heard. 

7  97 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Immediately  the  swan  resumed  the  human  shape. 
The  true  Reeve  of  Lynn  slipped  out  of  the  arms  of 
Southernwood,  thanked  her  most  gratefully  for  what 
she  had  done,  and,  taking  her  by  the  hand,  conducted 
her  to  his  mother,  with  the  dignity  and  grace  of  a 
prince  rather  than  of  a  reeve. 

Now  when  he  came  to  his  mother,  she  was 
delighted  and  rejoiced  beyond  measure.  She  kissed 
and  embraced  him,  she  wept  and  laughed  for  joy. 

The  Reeve  suffered  his  mother  to  give  full  rein  to 
her  feelings  for  some  while,  but  when  she  paused 
for  exhaustion,  he  made  to  her  a  profound  bow,  and, 
drawing  Southernwood  forward,  said,  "  Madam,  to 
this  sweet  and  beautiful  damsel  I  owe  my  escape 
from  a  most  terrible  fate.  By  her  energy,  by  her 
courage,  by  her  resolution,  she  succeeded  in  deliver- 
ing me.      I  have  resolved  that  she  shall  be  my  wife." 

His  mother  seemed  a  little  staggered  and  offended. 
Assuming  a  grave  aspect,  she  said,  "  My  dear  son, 
gratitude  is  an  admirable  virtue,  and  eminently 
suitable  in  a  Reeve  of  Lynn.  But  every  virtue  may 
be  carried  to  an  excess.  You  must  remember  this 
person,  otherwise  so  admirable,  occupies  a  menial 
position,  and  is  in  indigent  circumstances." 

'"Position  and  circumstances  be  hanged!'  which  is 
an  expression  used  in  the  first  circles  of  Elfin  Land," 
said  the  Reeve,  with  another  bow.  "  My  dearest 
lady  mother,  much  as  I  respect  your  judgment,  in 
this  matter  I  shall  be  ruled  by  my  own  feelings. 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  position  and  circum- 
stances of  this  lovely  maid,  of  whom  I  am  passionately 
enamoured,  and    to    whom    I    am    attached    by    the 


Southernwood 

most  sacred  obligations  of  gratitude,  henceforth  her 
circumstances  shall  be  mine,  or  mine  hers,  and  her 
position  shall  be  that  of  mistress  of  my  house,  and 
reevedom,  and  person.  And,  dearest  mother,  in- 
asmuch as  hitherto  you  have  been  sore  troubled, 
even  to  the  silvering  of  your  seven  locks,  by  solicitude 
for  the  heart  of  your  supposed  son,  now,  to  ensure 
to  you  and  every  one  that  your  true  son's  heart  is 
in  the  right  place,  I  commit  its  custody  to  my  dying 
day  to  sweet  Southernwood." 

Note. — The  story  of  Southernwood  is  based,  but  based  only, 
on  the  ballad  of  Tarn  Lin.  We  have  this  only  in  Scottish  form, 
but  Tommy  o'  Lynn  is  well  known  all  over  England  and  the 
subject  of  humorous  song-s.  Moreover,  the  story  of  his  capture 
by  fairies  and  his  release  is  common  to  all  peoples.  The  maid 
and  the  gold  ball  I  have  worked  in  from  another  tale,  to  which  it 
does  not  properly  belong  ;  the  real  story  concerns  the  loss  of  the 
golden  ball,  and  the  sentence  of  the  maid  to  execution  unless  it 
be  produced.  I  have  also  worked  in  the  universally  known  story 
of  the  fairy  changeling,  common  in  Ireland,  in  Scotland,  in 
Wales,  and  in  Cornwall.  In  folk-tales  the  same  elements  are 
worked  up  again  and  again,  and  this  is  my  sole  justification  for 
the  hotch-potch  of  a  story,  Southernwood.  For  Tam  Lin  see 
Child,  English  and  Scottish  Popular  Ballads,  No.  39.  For  The 
Golden  Ball,  see  appendix  to  Henderson's  Folklore  of  the  Xorthern 
Counties^  ed.  1866,  and  Jacobs'  More  English  Fairy  Tales.  I  must 
admit  that  the  bit  of  ballad,  p.  91,  is  not  a  genuine  old  fragment. 


99 


V 

THE   SHEPHERD'S   DAUGHTER 


There  was  once  a  king  of  England,  and  he  was 
very  fond  of  hunting.  He  went  out  hunting  in  the 
forest  one  day,  and  he  had  taken  with  him  a  roast 
chicken  to  eat  when  hungry. 

He  had  hunted  all  the  morning  without  success, 
and  by  the  middle  of  the  day  he  was  separated  from 
all  his  attendants,  and  was  hot  and  hungry  and 
tired.  Then  he  came  out  on  a  bit  of  furzy  moor, 
and  there  he  saw  a  green  mound,  and  he  sat  upon  it. 
He  opened  his  wallet,  and  pulled  out  the  chicken, 
and  ate. 

As  he  was  very  hungry,  he  not  only  ate  the  meat, 
but  he  picked  the  bones  clean,  and  then  threw  the 
bones  away.  He  threw  them  down  impatiently, 
because  he  was  very  vexed  that  all  his  hunting  had 
been  in  vain. 

All  at  once  a  little  woman  stood  before  him  with 
a  stick  in  her  hand,  and  she  was  brandishing  this 
with  vehemence,  and   her  other  hand  was   clenched, 

103 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

and  she  spluttered  when  she  spoke,  so  angry  was 
she.  The  little  woman  was  no  taller  than  the  king's 
knee.  He  was  much  surprised,  and  asked  her  what 
made  her  angry. 

She  answered,  screaming  shrilly,  "  You  have 
thrown  your  chicken  bones  against  my  children  !  you 
have  lamed  one,  and  broken  the  head  of  another, 
and  all  are  bruised  and  crying." 

Then  the  king  thought  he  heard  a  little  shrilling 
in  the  grass  like  crickets — but  it  was  the  crying  of 
the  old  woman's  children. 

"  This  is  my  house,"  continued  the  old  woman ; 
"  you  are  sitting  on  the  roof,  and  throwing  the  bones 
at  my  children,  who  were  playing  in  the  grass,  en- 
joying the  sun  out  of  doors.  And  now,  because 
you  have  done  this  thing,  your  daughter  shall  be 
taken  from  you,  that  is  just  born  to  you  in  St.  James's 
Palace,  and  shall  be  carried  away,  and  you  shall  not 
see  her  again,  till  the  day  she  is  given  in  marriage, 
and  she  shall  be  brought  up  as  a  poor  shepherd's 
daughter,  and  shall  keep  sheep  upon  the  moor." 

Then  the  little  woman  disappeared. 

The  king  mounted  on  his  horse,  and  sounded  his 
horn,  and  presently  his  huntsmen  came  up.  He 
told  them  what  he  had  seen  and  heard,  and  they 
looked,  and  lo  !  the  mound  of  green  turf  had  sunk 
into  the  ground,  and  could  not  be  seen  at  all.  So 
all  thought,  though  too  polite  to  say  so,  that  the 
king  had  been  dreaming. 

When,  however,  the  king  came  home  from  hunt- 
ing, he  found  St.  James's  Palace  all  in  commotion. 
That  very   day   a   little   daughter  had   been  born  to 

104 


! 


The  Shepherd's  Daughter 

him,  and  no  sooner  was  she  born,  than  she  had  been 
spirited  away. 

The  nurses  and  the  chambermaids  and  the 
chamberlains  looked  everywhere  for  the  babe, — in  the 
cupboards,  under  the  pillows,  they  turned  up  the 
chairs,  they  ransacked  the  drawers,  they  shook  at 
the  curtains,  they  beat  the  carpets,  they  turned  out 
the  dustbin,  but  nowhere  could  the  newly  -  born 
princess  be  found  ;  moreover,  the  royal  squires  rode 
about  as  fast  as  they  could,  round  the  palace,  and 
through  the  parks,  but  they  could  not  see  anyone 
going  away  with  the  new-born  baby. 

It  was  very  sad.  And  the  saddest  thing  was 
that  the  king  and  queen  knew,  from  what  the  little 
old  woman  had  said,  that  the  princess  had  been 
carried  away  into  the  country  and  given  to  some 
shepherd,  and  that  she  would  be  brought  up  as  a 
country  girl,  and  be  married,  they  had  no  doubt,  to 
some  country  bumpkin.  But  that  was  not  all. 
They  had  no  other  child,  and  whoever  married  the 
little  princess  would  become  King  of  England. 

"  It  would  be  very  painful,"  said  the  queen,  "  if 
she  were  to  marry  a  Giles  Scroggins." 

"  It  would  be  worse  if  his  name  were  Buggins," 
said  the  king. 

"  I  don't  think  the  people  would  stand  it,"  said  the 
queen ;  "  fancy  on  the  coin  of  the  realm  Buggiiis, 
D.G.,  F.D." 

"  There  would  be  a  revolution,"  said  the  king. 

"  Then,  again,  his  manners,"  said  the  queen. 

"  And  his  morals,"  said  the  king. 

"  We  really  know  nothing  of  the  manners  and 
105 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

morals  of  the  common  people,"  observed  the 
queen. 

"  That  is  true,"  responded  the  king,  and  became 
thoughtful. 

"  I  have  always  had  a  great  abhorrence  of  what  is 
common!'  said  the  queen. 

"  Yet  you  say  your  devotions  out  of  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,"  retorted  the  king.  The  queen 
then  changed  the  topic. 

Now  it  must  be  told  that  the  little  princess  was 
whisked  away  by  the  pixy  who  lived  under  the 
mound,  and  was  dropped  into  the  arms  of  a  shep- 
herd's wife  who  was  shelling  peas.  This  good 
woman  was  a  little  short  of  sight,  and  she  really 
thought,  as  she  shelled  peas,  that  the  babe  had 
tumbled  out  of  a  pod.  So  she  had  her  christened 
Sweet  Pea,  not  because  the  pod  out  of  which  she 
came  was  other  than  that  of  the  common  pea,  or 
that  the  peas  among  which  she  lay  were  other  than 
common  garden  peas,  that  are  boiled  with  mint ;  but 
because,  though  ordinary  peas  are  sweet,  this  darling 
little  baby  was  a  thousand  times  sweeter. 

The  shepherd  and  his  wife  were  very  fond  of  her, 
and  she  grew  up  in  their  cottage,  believing  them  to 
be  her  father  and  mother,  and  she  learned  to  be 
thrifty  and  industrious  and  truthful  and  honest. 

As  they  were  very  poor,  she  was  obliged  to  work. 
In  time  the  shepherd  became  old  and  feeble,  and 
then  Sweet  Pea  was  sent  out  on  the  moors  with  the 
sheep. 

Now  it  happened  one  day  that  the  Duchess  of 
Cornwall  had   gone  with   her   ladies  to  a   lake   there 

1 06 


The  Shepherd's  Daughter 

is  in  Cornwall  called  Dozmaree,  and  they  amused 
themselves  with  sailing  in  a  boat  on  the  rippling 
blue  water.  The  duchess  was  knitting,  and  every  now 
and  then  she  put  her  knitting-pins  into  the  water ; 
she  said  she  wondered  how  deep  the  lake  was. 

Then  all  at  once  there  rose  up  beside  the  boat  a 
man  who  was  half  a  fish.  He  had  long  black  hair 
hanging  down,  like  seaweed,  and  a  flat  face,  very 
pale,  and  large  fishy  eyes,  and  fins  where  men  grow 
whiskers.  He  splashed  the  water  over  the  duchess 
and  her  ladies,  and  they  saw  he  had  webbed  hands. 
He  was  in  a  great  rage,  and  could  hardly  speak. 
But  at  last  he  screamed  out — 

"  Beneath  the  waters  where  you  swim, 
Sits  my  wife  with  babies  three  ; 
Why  should  you  stick  your  knitting"-pin, 
Blind  them  that  they  cannot  see?" 

And  he  said,  that  when  the  duchess  thrust  down 
her  knitting-pin  into  the  water,  she  stuck  it  into  the 
eyes  of  his  children.  She  had  blinded  one  in  both 
eyes,  and  the  second  had  lost  the  right  eye,  and  the 
third  had  lost  the  left. 

The  duchess  was  so  astonished  and  frightened 
that  she  could  not  speak. 

Then  the  mere-man  said,  ''  Because  you  have 
done  this,  your  son,  that  is  just  born,  shall  go  clean 
contrary  to  what  he  wishes  and  ought  to  do.  I 
cannot  alter  his  heart,  but  I  can  make  him  go 
against  all  he  would  desire  to  do  with  his  good 
heart." 

Then  he  dropped  under  the  waves,  and  they  saw 
107 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

him  no  more,  but  they  heard  a  sort  of  plaintive 
sound,  such  as  is  made  by  mussels  and  oysters  when 
drawn  by  the  waves  over  stones — but  it  was  the 
wailing  of  the  mere-babes  because  their  eyes  had 
been  put  out  by  the  duchess's  knitting-pins. 

The  unhappy  duchess  was  too  grieved  and 
ashamed  to  tell  her  husband  what  had  happened, 
but  she  thought  much  about  the  ill  wish  that  the 
mere-man  had  laid  on  her  beautiful  little  boy,  who 
was  called  William,  and  who,  because  he  was  fairer 
and  sweeter  in  appearance  than  any  other  William 
in  Cornwall,  was  called  Sweet  William. 

Nevertheless,  in  spite  of  his  name,  he  grew  up  to 
■be  a  sour  and  bitter  William.  He  was  very  amiable 
in  heart,  but  when  he  desired  to  kiss  his  nurse,  then, 
instead,  he  slapped  her ;  and  when  he  wished  to  say 
"  You  dear "  to  anyone  who  was  kind  to  him,  he 
said  instead,  "  You  are  a  naughty  old  pig."  This 
was  very  sad,  and  the  Duke  of  Cornwall  was  much 
troubled.  He  could  not  understand  it.  Of  a  good 
tree  comes  good  fruit,  and  he  and  the  Duchess  were 
so  good,  that  it  was  a  wonder  to  everyone  in  Corn- 
wall that  so  cantankerous  and  uncourteous  a  boy 
should  have  been  born  to  them. 

The  duchess  wept,  and  became  pale  and  worn. 
Then,  one  night  she  had  a  dream,  and  in  that  dream 
she  saw  the  Fairy  Morgana,  who  is  the  greatest  of 
all  the  fairies  in  Cornwall,  and  wishes  well  to  all 
Cornish  people.  The  fairy  said  to  her,  "  Fern- 
seed  is  good  for  blind  eyes.  Go,  scatter  fern-seed  on 
the  waters  of  Dozmaree,  and  see  what  comes  of  it." 

Next  day  the  duchess  awoke,  and  remembered 
1 08 


The  Shepherd's  Daughter 

well  what  she  had  dreamed.  So  she  went  with  her 
ladies  over  the  moors  and  hills  to  the  lake,  and  as 
she  went,  she  plucked  fern  leaves  and  rubbed  the 
seed  into  her  hands,  and  filled  a  large  reticule  with  it. 
When  she  came  to  Dozmaree,  she  mounted  the 
boat  and  rowed  over  the  lake,  and  all  the  way  with 
both  hands  she  strewed  fern-seed,  and  as  she  strewed 
she  sang — 

"  The  fern-seed  rlg-ht  and  left  I  strew, 
Mere-man,  for  your  babies  three  ; 
I  g-rleve  that  I  did  wrong-  to  you. 
Fern-seed  maketh  eyes  to  see." 

Then  out  of  the  water  rose  the  mere-man,  and  he 
said,  "  Because  you  have  done  this  thing,  and 
restored  sight  to  my  babes'  eyes,  I  take  off  my  ill 
wish  as  much  as  I  can.  Your  son  shall  be  changed 
to  be  in  manner  what  he  is  in  heart,  as  soon  as  he  is 
married.      Marriage  is  sovereign  to  surly  manners." 

Then  he  went  down  under  the  water  again,  and 
they  saw  him  no  more. 

Now  the  Duchess  told  her  husband  what  she  had 
done,  told  him  the  whole  story ;  and  they  considered 
that  William  should  be  sent  to  the  court  at  St. 
James's,  to  be  there  brought  up  where  are  the  best 
of  manners  and  morals.  Moreover,  there  he  would 
be  sure  to  find  some  beautiful,  amiable,  accomplished 
and  noble  maiden,  suitable  to  become  his  wife  and 
future  Duchess  of  Cornwall. 

So  William  went  to  the  court  of  the  King  of 
England.  Now,  before  he  came,  the  queen  sighed, 
and   she    said    to   the    king,  "  Oh,   if  only  our   dear 

109 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

daughter  had  not  been  whisked  away  from  us — she 
would  now  be  old  enough  to  be  married,  and  it 
would  have  been  so  nice  to  have  married  her  to  the 
heir  of  the  Duchy  of  Cornwall — so  much  better  than 
going  hunting  after  foreigners.  But  it  is  all  your 
doing." 

"  What  is  my  doing  ?  " 

"  Why,  it  is  through  your  want  of  consideration 
in  throwing  chicken  bones  at  the  poor  little  pixies." 

"  I  never  saw  them,"  said  the  king. 

"  Because  you  never  look  about  you  ;  you  are  so 
inconsiderate.      It  was  all  your  doing." 

"  Well,  I  never  !  "  said  the  king. 

"  It  is  of  no  use  your  saying  '  W^ell,  I  never ! '  If 
you  had  looked  before  you  threw  chicken  bones,  as 
every  wise  and  sensible  and  moral  man  ought  to  do, 
this  would  never  have  happened.  As  I  said  before, 
it  is  all  your  doing." 

"  I  think  you  might  have  minded  the  cradle  a 
little  better,"  observed  the  king. 

"  How  could  I  ? "  asked  the  queen  indignantly. 
"  And  to  think  of  your  throwing  chicken  bones  about 
when  your  blessed  babe  was  born  !  " 

Now  when  William,  son  of  the  Duke  of  Cornwall, 
arrived  at  the  court,  then  everyone  was  struck  with 
his  beauty  and  gracefulness.  And  everyone  ex- 
claimed, "  Surely  this  is  Sweet  William  !  " 

But  he  had  not  been  there  many  days  before  they 
found  that  in  all  he  did  he  was  ungracious  and  even 
unkind. 

William  was  troubled  at  this ;  he  knew  that  he 
wished  well,  and  desired  to  do  courteous   things,  but 

no 


The  Shepherd's  Daughter 

somehow  he  ahvays  said  and  did  just  the  wrong 
thing,  and  made  enemies  where  he  ought  to  have 
made  friends.  Immediately  after  he  had  done  a 
rude  thing  or  said  an  unkind  word,  he  was  sensible 
of  it,  and  laboured  to  undo  what  he  had  done  amiss, 
and  always  made  matters  worse  by  the  attempt. 

Consequently,  he  had  no  friends,  and  he  did  not 
play  games  with  the  rest,  nor  walk  nor  ride  with  the 
rest ;  and  it  was  very  little  likely  that  he  would  win 
the  heart  of  any  fair  lady. 

After  he  had  been  some  time  at  the  king's  court, 
he  returned  home  to  see  his  father,  who  was  dying, 
and  he  remained  at  home  till  the  duke  was  dead. 
Then  he  determined  to  go  back  to  the  court  and 
pay  his  respects,  as  Duke  of  Cornwall,  to  the  king 
and  queen.  After  that  he  would  return  to  his 
duchy  and  attend  to  it ;  but  he  greatly  feared  that, 
however  much  he  might  wish  to  be  a  generous  and 
good  duke,  he  would  only  irritate  and  annoy  the 
Cornish  people. 

He  was  riding  alone,  on  his  way  back  to  London, 
when  he  passed  over  the  moor  on  which  Sweet  Pea 
was  tending  her  sheep. 

Now  I  must  tell  you  that  this  same  day  Sweet 
Pea  was  sitting  on  a  green  mound  that  rose  out  of 
the  heather.  She  had  taken  with  her  for  her  food  a 
hard-boiled  egg.  As  she  was  hungry  at  noon,  she 
pulled  the  egg  out  of  her  pocket  and  began  to  peel 
it.  The  shell  she  broke  carefully,  and  put  all  the 
little  pieces  on  a  stone,  one  on  top  of  another,  and 
she  had  broken  them  so  neatly  that  they  were  all 
round    and   of  one   shape.      Then   she  took  the   fine 

III 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

skin  that  is  inside  the  shell,  and  she  stripped  it 
carefully,  and  with  a  pair  of  scissors  cut  the  fine  skin 
into  strips,  and  began  to  sew  them  together  with  a 
needle  she  had,  and  which  she  threaded  with  a  fibre 
from  a  spider's  cobweb,  and  she  made  out  of  the 
skin  little  shirts. 

She  heard  a  cackling  laugh,  and  looked  up.  There 
stood  before  her  a  funny  old  woman,  who  looked 
smilingly  on  her,  and  said,  "  Little  shepherd's 
daughter,  will  you  give  me  the  eggshell  cups  you 
have  made  ?  They  will  serve  as  porridge  bowls  for 
my  children." 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  said  Sweet  Pea  ;  "  and  if  you 
want  more,  I  will  bring  another  egg  to-morrow  and 
make  more." 

"  You  are  very  good,"  said  the  little  woman ; 
"  and  in  payment  I  will  bring  you  your  husband 
this  way — and  his  name  is  Sweet  William." 

Then  the  little  woman  looked  at  what  the  girl  was 
doing,  and  said,  "  May  I  see  what  you  have  made?" 

"  By  all  means,"  said  Sweet  Pea,  and  she  put  the 
little  doll  suits  into  the  old  woman's  hand.  Then 
the  pixy — for  a  pixy  it  was — danced  and  capered 
and  screamed  for  joy.  And  when  she  ceased,  she 
said,  "  Will  you  give  me  these  for  my  little  children  ?  " 

''  Most  gladly,"  answered  Sweet  Pea ;  "  and  if  you 
want  more,  I  will  bring  another  egg  to-morrow  and 
make  you  as  many  more  shirts  and  jackets  as  you  like." 

Then  the  pixy  said,  "  Because  you  have  done  this, 
I  will  tell  you  who  you  really  are.  You  are  not  a 
shepherd's  daughter.  You  are  the  daughter  of  the 
King  and  Queen  of  England.      And  now — see — out 

112 


The  Shepherd's  Daughter 

of  the  forest  comes  riding  the  man  who  is  to  be 
your  husband.  Follow  him,  and  do  not  tell  him  you 
are  a  princess." 

Then  the  little  woman  disappeared,  taking  with 
her  the  eggshell  porridge  bowls  and  egg-skin  shirts. 
Now,  as  William,  Duke  of  Cornwall,  came  riding 
through  the  heather,  his  dog  that  he  had  ran  after 
Sweet  Pea's  lambs  and  sheep  and  scattered  them. 
Then  William  called  to  the  dog.  He  wanted  to 
call  him  off,  but  instead  of  shouting,  "  Lion — come 
back  !  "  he  called,  "  Lion — at  them  !  " 

So  the  dog  pursued  his  sport,  and  he  ran  down 
one  sheep,  and  then  another,  and  killed  all  the  flock 
of  Sweet  Pea.  She  wept  and  entreated,  but  it  was 
all  in  vain — every  one  of  her  sheep  and  lambs  was 
torn  and  dead.  Then  she  went  weepingly  to  the 
beautiful,  princely-looking  young  man  riding  on  his 
horse  and  told  him  that  these  sheep  were  all  that 
her  father  and  mother  possessed,  and  that  unless  they 
were  paid  for  the  old  people  would  perish  from  want. 

He  looked  at  her,  and  thought  how  lovely  she 
was,  and  he  wished  to  pay  her  for  what  damage  his 
dog  had  done,  but  when  he  pulled  out  his  purse,  in- 
stead of  giving  it  her,  he  struck  her  in  the  face  with  it. 

Then  she  asked  what  was  his  name.  She  must 
have  justice  done.  And  so  distressed  and  angry  was 
she,  that  she  forgot  all  that  the  pixy  had  said  to  her. 

He  answered — 

"O  some  clo  call  me  Jack,"  he  said, 

"And  some  do  call  me  Jame, 
But  when  I'm  in  the  king's  high  court, 

Sweet  William  is  my  name." 

8  113 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Then  he  struck  spurs  into  his  horse  and  rode  away, 
and  the  dog  followed  him.  He  was  unhappy  and 
wroth  with  what  had  happened,  but  it  was  like  his 
ill  luck  :  when  he  wished  to  do  right,  then  he  did 
wrong,  and  when  he  wished  to  say  a  civil  word,  then 
he  said  a  rude  one. 

He  took  his  horse  all  by  the  head, 

And  swift  away  did  ride  ; 
She  gathered  up  her  skirts  and  ran 

Hard  by  his  stirrup  side. 
And  when  she  to  a  river  came, 

She  bared  her  breast  and  swam  ; 
And  when  she  was  on  the  green  grass, 

Then  swift  a-foot  she  ran. 
He  never  was  a  courteous  knight 

To  bid  her  mount  and  ride. 
And  she  was  such  a  simple  maid, 

She  did  by  him  abide. 

Thus  she  ran  on,  and  as  she  ran,  her  feet  were 
wounded,  and  the  blood  flowed  from  them.  But  she 
heeded  it  not.  She  was  resolved  to  have  justice 
done  for  the  sheep  the  dog  had  slain,  for  the  sake  of 
the  poor  old  couple  whose  they  were,  and  because 
they  had  been  entrusted  to  her. 

Now  the  darkness  began  to  come  on,  and  it  would 
soon  be  night.  Nevertheless  she  ran  on,  as  says 
the  ballad — 

"Now  stay,  the  night  is  falling  fast, 

Full  weary  thou  must  be." 
"  I  will  not  stay,  by  night  or  day, 

But  run  'longside  of  thee." 

As  soon  as  ever  they  came  to  London  gates,  then 
the  youth   galloped   hard   away   over  the   pavement, 

114 


] 


The  Shepherd's  Daughter 

but  she  was  so  weary  and  so  lame  that  she  could 
only  limp  along.  But  she  asked  her  way  to  the 
king's  palace,  and  when  she  reached  it,  then  she 
stood  at  the  door  and  knocked  and  rang. 

There  was  no  servant  in  the  hall 

Nor  noble  heard  the  din  ; 
So  down  there  came  the  king  himself, 

And  let  the  fair  maid  in. 

Now  the  king  was  very  much  astonished  when  he 
saw  a  poor  shepherd  girl  at  the  palace  door,  breath- 
less with  running,  soiled  with  dust,  and  with  blood 
flowing  from  her  feet. 

He  was  a  courteous  king,  so  he  led  her  into  the 
hall,  and  made  her  sit  down,  and  then  he  asked  her — 

"What  wouldst  thou  have  of  me?"  he  said; 

'*  O,  what  dost  seek?"  said  he. 
"Thou  hast  a  man  in  thy  fair  court 

That  hath  a-robbed  me." 
"What  hath  he  robbed  thee  of,  fair  maid? 

Of  purple  or  of  pall? 
Or  hath  he  ta'en  the  red  gold  ring 

From  off  thy  finger  small?" 

Then  the  shepherd's  daughter  answered  and  said  : 
"  He  has  not  taken  from  me  purple  or  pall,  for  I 
have  none  of  these  things,  but  only  brown  linsey- 
woolsey  gowns.  And  as  for  a  gold  ring,  I  never 
saw  gold  in  my  life,  and  very  seldom  any  silver." 
Thereupon  she  told  the  king  how  the  young  knight 
had  come  riding  up  with  his  dog,  and  how  the  dog 
had  worried  her  sheep,  and  the  knight,  instead  of 
calling  off  the   dog,  had    urged  it  on,  and   then  how, 

1^5 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

when  she  had  asked  him  to  pay  for  all  the  sheep 
that  had  been  killed,  he  had  struck  her  across  the 
face. 

Now,  vvhen  the  king  heard  this  story,  you  may  be 
sure  he  was  very  angry,  for  not  only  was  he  a 
courteous  king,  but  also  he  was  just.  But  he  had 
many  knights  and  noble  youths  in  his  court,  and  he 
did  not  know  which  of  all  these  was  the  guilty  one. 
So  he  said — 

"How  dost  thou  know  this  noble  knight? 

What  dost  thou  know  him  by?" 
'*  By  his  locks  that  are  as  yellow  wheat, 

And  by  his  bright  blue  eye.'" 

The  king  answered  in  great  wrath — 

"Oh,  if  he  be  a  married  man, 

I'll  hang   him  on  a  tree  ; 
But  if  he  be  a  bachelor, 

His  body  I'll  give  to  thee." 
The  king  he  called  up  his  men 

By  one,  by  two,  by  three  ; 
Sir  William  once  was  first  of  all. 

But  now  the  last  came  he. 
Then  out  he  held  full  fifty  pounds, 

All  wrapped  in  a  glove. 
"  Fair  maid,   I'll  give  the  same  to  thee. 

Go,  seek  another  love." 
"Oh,   I  want  nothing  of  thy  gold, 

Nor  nothing  of  thy  fee. 
But  I  will  have  thy  body  whole 

Which  the  king  hath  granted  me." 

There  was  no  help  for  it.  The  king  had  promised, 
and  William  was  obliged  to  submit.  He  was  very 
wroth,   because   he  was   Duke   of  Cornwall,  and   this 

ii6 


I 


The  Shepherd's  Daughter 

was  but  a  poor  shepherd's  daughter.  A  marriage 
was  to  be  made,  but  not  in  London.  The  king 
said  it  should  be  in  Cornwall,  where  all  might  see 
their  new  duchess  wed.      Then  said  the  duke — 

"Would  I  had  drunk  the  water  clear 

When  I  did  drink  the  wine, 
Rather  than  any  shepherd's  brat 

Should  be  a  lady  of  mine  ! 
Would   I  had  drunk  the  puddle   foul 

When  I  did  drink  g-ood  ale, 
Rather  than  here  that  shepherd  maid 

Should  shame  me  with  her  tale  !  " 

Then  she  answered  him — 

"A  shepherd  maiden  though  I  was, 

You  might  have  let  me  be  ; 
I   never  had  come  to  London  town 

To  ask  for  aught  from  thee. 
A  shepherd  brat  what  if  I   was  ? 

You  might  have  ridden  by, 
And  never  a  word  to  you,  fair  knig-ht. 

Had  ever  spoken    I." 
He  set  her  on  a  milkwhite  steed. 

Himself  upon  a  g"rey, 
And  forth  he  rode  with  the  shepherd  maid 

From  London  town  away. 
The  very  first  town  they  came  unto, 

He  bought  her  a  golden  ring, 
The    very  next  town  they  came  unto, 

He   made   her  a  gay  wedding-. 

Then  up  and  spoke  the  shepherd  maid  :  "  Foras- 
much as  now  I  am  your  wife,  and  Duchess  of  Corn- 
wall, I  will  tell  you  who  I  be.  Think  not  that  I  am 
a  poor  shepherd's  brat.  I  am  better  born  than  you. 
For  you  are  a  duke's  son,  and  I  am   the  daughter  of 

117 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

the  king  and  queen.  Think  not  that  I  am  poor  as 
the  shepherd  with  only  his  flock  of  sheep  ;  I  am  the 
heiress  of  the  crown  of  England.  You  have  in  this 
Cornish  land  great  mines  of  tin,  but  I  have  all  the 
golden  treasure  of  great  England. 

If  you  make  me  lady  of  one  g-ood  town, 
I  make  you  lord  of  three." 

Then  there  was  great  rejoicings  throughout  the  land 
when  the  tidings  were  known,  that  the  only  daughter 
of  the  king  and  queen  was  found,  and  was  married 
to  William,  Duke  of  Cornwall.  And  now  also  was 
the  Duchess  of  Cornwall  glad,  for  her  son's  good 
heart  shone  forth  in  all  he  said  and  did.  For,  indeed, 
marriage  is  the  sovereign  cure  for  churlishness.  And 
the  king  and  queen  of  England  laughed  and  cried 
for  gladness,  and  made  the  fountains  in  London  spout 
wine,  and  they  threw  buns,  with  many  currants  in 
them,  out  of  their  state  carriage  windows  as  they 
drove  through  the  streets.  Indeed,  there  was  great 
rejoicing,  such  as  cannot  be  described. 

You  must  know  that  ever  after,  the  eldest  son  of 
the  King  and  Queen  of  England  is  entitled,  not  only 
Prince  of  Wales,  but  also  Duke  of  Cornwall,  for  in 
the  marriage  of  Sweet  William  and  Sweet  Pea,  the 
realm  of  England  was  united  to  the  ancient  duchy 
of  Cornwall,  thenceforth  to  be  "  One  and  All."  -^ 

Note. — The  story  of  the  Shepherd's  Daughter  is  based  on  a  folk- 
tale combined  with  a  folk-ballad.  The  ballad  is  very  well  known. 
It  first  appeared  in  print  as  "  The  Beautiful  Shepherdesse  of 
Arcadia,"  and  was  reprinted  in  the  Roxhurghe  Ballads,  Hi.  i6o  ;  it 

1  "  One  and  All  "  is  the  motto  of  the  duchy  of  Cornwall. 


The  Shepherd's  Daughter 

is  very  well  known  still  among-  the  peasantry  of  England,  and  is 
sung-  to  a  fine  ancient  melody.  It  is  known  well  also  in  Scotland. 
A  snatch  of  the  ballad  occurs  in  Beaumont  and  Fletcher's  play, 
''The  Knight  of  the  Burning  Pestle,"  that  was  printed  in  1613. 
The  story  is  perhaps  derived  from  the  older  "  Ballad  of  Sir  Gawain's 
Marriage."  See  concerning  it  Professor  Child's  English  and 
Scottish  Ballads,  the  new  edition,  No.  no.  The  folk-tale  I  have 
combined  with  it  is  one  I  remember  being  told  as  a  child. 

In  Roger  of  Wendover's  Floivers  of  History,  written  in  1235,  is 
the  story  of  King  Edward,  son  of  Alfred  the  Great,  and  the 
Shepherd's  Daughter.  Their  son  was  the  famous  King  Athelstan, 
who  succeeded  Edward  in  924.  It  is  possible  that  the  ballad  may 
have  been  based  on  this  story. 

In  the  "Marriage  of  Sir  Gawain,"  in  Percy's  Reliqties,  the 
damsel  is  bewitched  and  made  hideous.  In  the  folk-tale  she  is 
also  subject  to  enchantment.  In  the  ballad,  as  we  have  it,  all  the 
earlier  part  of  the  story,  telling  how  it  was  that  she,  a  queen's 
daughter,  came  to  be  living  as  a  shepherdess,  is  lost.  We  have, 
in  fact,  only  the  second  half  of  the  ballad  preserved  to  us. 

For  particular  reasons  I  have  been  obliged  to  alter  the  first 
incident  in  the  ballad. 


119 


VI 

THE   TURKEY   FACTOR 


121 


VI 

THE    TURKEY    FACTOR 


There  was  a  certain  factor  who  went  into  the  East 
and  did  business  for  merchants  in  London.  Although 
a  young  man,  he  was  so  honest  and  intelHgent,  that 
the  merchants  felt  confident  in  placing  their  affairs 
in  his  hands. 

By  his  honesty  and  steadiness  he  had  amassed  a 
little  fortune  of  five  hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  and 
he  thought  that  when  he  had  six  hundred,  he  would 
set  up  business  for  himself,  become  himself  a  merchant, 
and  he  was  confident  that  in  a  few  years  he  would 
grow  to  be  very  rich.  He  came  to  Turkey  on  his 
business. 

Now  one  day  he  saw  a  man  carried  to  burial,  and 
there  came  some  Turks  and  arrested  the  body,  for 
they  said  that  the  man  had  died  in  debt  fifty  pounds, 
and  unless  the  money  were  paid,  his  carcase  would 
be  cast  to  the  dogs  to  devour.  The  widow  and 
orphans  of  the  deceased  wept  and  entreated,  but  the 
Turks  insisted  that  it  should  be  so. 

123 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Then  the  factor  was  moved  with  pity,  and  he  paid 
the  man's  debt  of  fifty  pounds  out  of  his  own  pocket, 
and  gave  orders  that  the  funeral  should  be  proceeded 
with.  The  widow  and  children  wept  tears  of  joy 
now,  and  called  down  blessings  on  his  head. 

Another  day,  as  the  factor  was  walking  near  the 
sea,  he  heard  a  voice  crynng,  and  when  he  hastened 
to  the  spot,  saw  a  beautiful  girl,  and  the  Turkish 
soldiers  were  going  to  strangle  her  and  throw  her 
into  the  sea. 

The  factor  asked  what  she  had  done. 

Then  he  learned  that  she  had  been  a  slave  in  the 
sultan's  seraglio,  and  had  waited  on  the  sultana ; 
and  that  one  day  she  had  let  fall  and  broken  a 
precious  crystal  phial  filled  with  otto  of  roses,  and 
that  as  this  was  greatly  esteemed  by  the  sultana,  she 
was  very  angry,  and  had  ordered  the  slave  girl  to 
be  strangled  and  thrown  into  the  Bosphorus. 

The  factor  asked  what  was  the  value  of  the  crystal 
phial  with  the  precious  scent,  and  was  told  that  it 
was  worth  five  hundred  pounds.  They  further  told 
him  that  if  the  sum  were  forthcoming,  the  sultana 
would  be  content  to  let  the  girl  live. 

Five  hundred  pounds  was  a  large  sum.  Indeed 
it  was  all  that  remained  of  the  factor's  savings.  He 
debated  in  his  mind  a  moment.  Then  the  girl 
threw  herself  on  her  knees  before  him,  and,  wring- 
ing her  hands  and  weeping,  implored  him  to  save 
her. 

So  the  factor,  who  was  a  tender-hearted  man,  paid 
the  five  hundred  pounds,  and  took  the  girl  to  his 
ship,  and  said  that  he  would  convey  her  to  England, 

124 


The  Turkey  Factor 

where  there  would  be  no  such  chance  befall  her 
again. 

After  he  had  finished  his  business  in  Constanti- 
nople, and  had  sold  well  the  wares  he  had  been 
commissioned  to  sell  by  the  merchants  in  London, 
and  had  laden  the  vessel  with  such  wares  as  were 
to  be  had  in  the  East,  silks  and  gold  brocades,  and 
Damascus  swords,  and  spices  and  sugar  -  cane,  he 
sailed  back  to  England,  and  in  the  ship  with  him 
was  the  maiden  whom  he  had  rescued  from  death. 

His  masters  were  very  much  pleased  with  what 
he  had  done.  He  had  disposed  of  their  goods  to 
immense  advantage,  and  he  had  brought  back  pre- 
cisely those  articles  which  were  then  in  great  request, 
for  the  King  of  England  was  going  to  marry  his  son 
to  a  princess,  and  there  were  to  be  immense  rejoicings 
and  banquetings  in  London.  Thus  all  the  silks  and 
brocades  were  bought  up  at  a  great  price,  and  all 
the  spices  and  sweet  stuffs  sold  at  once. 

The  merchants  made  their  factor  a  very  handsome 
present  for  his  services. 

Now  it  must  be  told  that  when  he  arrived  in 
England,  he  gave  the  maiden  to  his  sister,  who  kept 
house  for  him,  and  she  became  the  servant 'to  his 
sister  and  to  him.  She  was  very  gentle  and  amiable, 
and  very  grateful  to  the  factor  for  having  saved  her 
from  a  terrible  death. 

Very  soon  the  merchants  commissioned  the  factor 
to  go  again  to  the  East.  This  time  he  was  not  to 
go  to  Constantinople,  but  to  China. 

Accordingly,  he  made  ready  to  depart. 

Now,  before  he  started,  the  captive  maiden  came 
125 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

to  him  and  brought  him  a  beautiful  silk  waistcoat, 
embroidered  with  flowers  of  various  colours  and  a 
gold  dragon  swallowing  a  silver  moon. 

She  said  to  him,  "  My  dear  master,  I  shall  never 
forget  what  I  owe  to  you.  Now,  I  desire  that  you 
would  accept  from  me  this  waistcoat  that  I  have 
worked  for  you,  and  promise* me  that  when  you 
appear  before  the  Emperor  of  China,  you  will  put 
on  this  garment." 

He  thanked  her  for  her  attention  in  working  this 
waistcoat  for  him  ;  he  admired  greatly  her  taste,  and 
he  assured  her  he  would  not  fail  to  do  that  which 
she  desired. 

Then  he  started  on  his  voyage,  which  was  a  very 
long  one,  and  lasted  many  months. 

At  last  he  reached  China,  and  when  the  emperor 
heard  that  an  English  merchant-ship  had  arrived, 
he  gave  orders  that  the  factor  should  come  to  the 
palace  at  Pekin  and  produce  the  best  of  his  goods, 
that  he  might  see  them,  and  buy  those  which  pleased 
him. 

The  factor  remembered  his  promise,  and  he  drew 
on  the  richly-embroidered  waistcoat,  and  went  to  the 
palace,  his  servants  carrying  bales  of  English  goods 
after  him.  He  saluted  the  emperor  with  great 
respect,  and  proceeded  to  show  him  the  produce  of 
English  looms.  But  presently  he  saw  that  the 
Chinese  sovereign  was  not  looking  at  them,  but  had 
his  eyes  intently  fixed  upon  his  waistcoat. 

Then  the  emperor  said,  "  Sir,  you  will  do  me  a 
favour  if  you  will  tell  me  where  you  got  that  garment. 
I  assure  you  that  it  greatly  surprises   me  to  see  you 

126 


The  Turkey  Factor 

in  it,  with  such  remarkable  flowers  embroidered  on 
it  in  such  a  singular  manner,  and  with  the  device  of 
a  gold  dragon  swallowing  a  silver  moon." 

The  factor  replied  that  the  waistcoat  had  been 
embroidered  for  him  by  the  hands  of  a  servant  girl 
in  England. 

Then  he  proceeded*  to  narrate  to  the  emperor  the 
story  of  this  girl :  how  she  had  been  a  slave  in  the 
palace  of  the  sultana,  how  she  had  broken  a  crystal 
phial  of  otto  of  roses,  how  she  had  been  condemned 
to  death,  and  how  he  had  rescued  her  by  paying 
five  hundred  pounds. 

The  emperor  was  greatly  moved.  He  said,  "  Know, 
Englishman,  that  this  captive  girl  is  my  daughter. 
She,  and  she  only,  knows  all  the  various  stitches  that 
go  to  make  embroidery  of  flowers  such  as  are  on 
your  waistcoat ;  and  no  one  in  all  China  is  suffered 
to  fashion  a  gold  dragon  swallowing  a  silver  moon 
unless  he  or  she  be  of  the  blood-royal.  One  day, 
when  my  daughter  was  cruising  about  on  the  Yellow 
Sea  with  her  maidens  for  pleasure,  as  the  weather 
was  extremely  hot,  and  she  had  been  unwell,  and 
her  mother  and  I  thought  sea  air  would  do  her 
good,  it  so  happened  that  Malay  pirates  took 
the  vessel,  carried  off  all  on  board,  and  the  empress 
and  I  never  heard  what  became  of  our  daughter. 
In  the  palace  yard  is  a  well,  and  it  is  nearly  full  of 
the  tears  we  have  shed  for  her  loss.  A  great  sage 
who  read  the  stars  assured  us  we  should  hear  of  her 
by  the  time  the  well  was  full.  Yesterday  her 
Imperial  Highness  came  to  me  and  said  that  another 
night    of  weeping   would    make    the    well    overflow. 

127 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Now,"  continued  the  emperor,  "  I  shall  richly  reward 
you  in  the  present,  but  I  desire  you  to  return  and 
bring  me  my  daughter,  when  I  will  give  her  to  you, 
or  any  man  who  returns  her  to  me,  together  with 
five  hundred  thousand  pounds,  and  make  of  him,  if 
he  desire  it,  a  mandarin  of  five  tails." 

The  factor  was  both  surprised  and  glad,  and  he 
promised  the  emperor  that  he  would  hasten  back  to 
London,  and  would  speedily  return  and  bring  the 
princess  with  him. 

The  emperor,  without  more  ado,  bought  the  entire 
contents  of  the  merchant  ship,  and  paid  double  for 
everything.  He,  moreover,  gave  a  rich  reward  to 
the  factor.  He  also  sent  a  mandarin  to  the  top  of 
a  tower,  and  he  was  to  count  the  hours  till  he  saw 
the  sail  of  the  returning  vessel,  and  every  hour  he 
was  to  pull  away  a  tile  from  the  roof  and  throw  it 
down.  When  no  tile  fell,  then  the  emperor  would 
know  that  the  ship  containing  his  beloved  daughter 
was  in  sight. 

Not  to  make  a  long  story,  it  must  be  told  that 
no  adventure  befell  the  factor  as  he  returned.  The 
captain  of  the  ship  had  heard  all  that  had  been  said, 
and  the  promises  that  had  been  made. 

When  the  factor  arrived  in  England  he  at  once 
hasted  home  to  his  sister's  house,  and  rejoiced  the 
heart  of  the  poor  damsel  with  the  news  that  he  had 
seen  her  father  and  mother,  and  that  they  were 
impatient  to  receive  her  in  their  arms. 

Then  he  went  to  the  merchants  and  paid  them 
the  double  sum  for  all  their  goods  which  he  had 
received   of  the  emperor,    and    they   were    only    too 

128 


The  Turkey  Factor 

pleased  when  he  said  that  it  was  his  desire  to  return 
at  once  to  China,  where  he  hoped  to  be  as  successful 
with  their  merchandise  the  second  time  as  the  first. 

Now  costly  robes  were  purchased  for  the  princess, 
and  she  was  no  longer  treated  as  a  servant.  She 
was  by  no  means  elevated  by  pride,  but  was  sweet 
and  gentle  and  modest  as  before. 

After  a  delay  only  sufficient  to  allow  of  the 
unlading  of  the  vessel  and  its  relading,  the  factor 
made  ready  for  sea  again,  and  the  same  captain 
commanded  in  the  ship  as  before. 

The  princess  was  taken  on  board  and  was  treated 
with  the  utmost  respect.  She  had  embroidered  with 
her  own  hands  a  golden  dragon  swallowing  a  silver 
moon  on  a  broad  strip  of  dark  blue  silk,  and  this 
was  to  serve  as  pennon  at  the  masthead. 

Now  the  captain  of  the  vessel  was  an  ambitious 
and  an  avaricious  man.  He  recalled  what  were 
the  terms  of  the  promise  made  by  the  Emperor  of 
China,  that  he  would  give  his  daughter  in  marriage, 
together  with  five  hundred  thousand  pounds,  to  the 
factor,  or  to  any  other  who  should  restore  his 
daughter  to  him.  He  resolved  to  make  away  with 
the  factor  on  the  voyage,  so  as  to  obtain  the  reward 
for  himself. 

Accordingly,  one  night,  when  the  factor  was  asleep 
on  deck,  the  captain  threw  him  overboard,  and  sailed 
on  without  him,  and  reached  China  in  safety. 

The  poor  princess  was  full  of  tears  and  sadness 
of  heart  at  the  disappearance  of  the  good  factor 
The  captain  said  that  he  believed  he  had  fallen  over- 
board accidentally. 

9  129 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Now,  when  the  ship  arrived  at  Pekin,  and  the 
mandarin  on  the  tower  top  ceased  to  throw  down 
tiles,  the  emperor  ran  with  all  his  court  down  to  the 
beach  to  receive  his  daughter. 

He  was  rejoiced  to  see  and  kiss  her ;  and  was 
sorry  to  hear  of  the  loss  of  the  factor,  but  gave  less 
heed  to  this  in  the  exuberance  of  his  joy  at  the 
discovery  of  his  beloved  child. 

As  he  had  undertaken  to  marry  her  to  the  man 
who  brought  her  to  China,  he  bade  his  daughter 
prepare  to  become  the  wife  of  the  captain. 

She  was  much  shocked,  and  weepingly  entreated 
her  father  not  to  enforce  this,  but  he  said  that  he 
had  made  the  promise  and  must  observe  it. 

Then  she  entreated  that  she  might  be  allowed 
three  weeks  in  which  to  mourn  for  her  lost  friend 
and  benefactor,  and  to  this  he  consented. 

The  story  turns  back  to  the  factor,  who  had  been 
thrown  into  the  sea.  Fortunately,  he  was  a  skilful 
swimmer,  and  there  was  an  island  at  no  great  dis- 
tance. By  great  exertion  he  managed  to  reach  it ;  he 
crept  up  the  beach,  cast  himself  under  a  palm  tree,  and 
was  so  exhausted  that  for  some  time  he  could  not  move. 

When  day  dawned,  he  rose  from  where  he  was 
lying,  and  proceeded  to  examine  the  island.  There 
were  many  fruit  trees  on  it,  and  there  were  many 
shell-fish  to  be  had  on  the  rocks,  so  that  he  was  in 
no  fear  of  starvation ;  but  his  mind  was  in  sore 
trouble  because  of  the  princess,  who  he  knew  would 
fall  a  prey  to  a  wicked  schemer. 

But  he  knew  neither  how  to  assist  her,  nor  how  to 
liberate  himself  from  the  island. 

13c 


The  Turkey  Factor 

One  day  he  saw  a  curious  old  grey  man  crawHng 
about  on  the  shore.  He  had  very  long  thin  legs 
and  arms  and  a  fat  grey  body,  and  he  usually  walked 


on  the  tips  of  his  toes  and  the  ends  of  his  fingers, 
and  his  beard  swept  the  ground.  He  walked  like 
this  on  all  fours  because  he  was  in  search  of  delicate 

131 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

sand-worms  and  skipping  sand-fleas,  which  were 
great  dainties  to  him.  He  was,  in  fact,  the  Old  Man 
of  the  Sea. 

When  he  came  up  to  the  factor,  he  stood  upright, 
and  then  the  factor  saw  that  he  had  got  fish-scales 
down  the  side  of  his  nose. 

He  had  great  saucer  eyes,  without  any  colour,  or 
light,  or  expression  in  them. 

He  asked  the  factor  who  he  was,  and  how  he 
came  there. 

The  factor  at  once  informed  him,  and  asked  the 
Old  Man  of  the  Sea  whether  there  were  any  means 
of  leaving  the  island,  whether  he  had  a  canoe,  or 
whether  any  vessels  touched  there. 

The  old  man  answered  that  he  needed  no  canoe 
himself,  he  was  as  well,  if  not  better,  under  water  than 
on  land.  And  as  for  foreign  vessels  coming  to  that 
coast,  he  was  glad  to  say  none  did,  or  they  would 
spoil  his  hunting  ground. 

He  seemed  much  annoyed  at  any  human  being 
taking  up  his  abode  on  the  island,  and  he  said  so. 
The  factor  replied  that  none  could  desire  to  be  away 
from  it  more  than  himself,  and  that  if  the  Old  Man 
of  the  Sea  could  show  him  how  to  leave,  he  would  at 
once  depart. 

The  old  man  considered  a  moment,  and  then  said, 
"  There  is  but  one  means  of  your  leaving  here.  You 
must  get  on  my  shoulders  and  let  me  swim  with  you." 

"  I  will  do  that,"  answered  the  factor,  "  if  you  will 
convey  me  to  some  point  whence  I  can  make  my 
way  to  the  court  of  the  Empress  of  China." 

The  Old  Man  of  the  Sea  began  to  rub  the  scales 
132 


The  Turkey  Factor 

on  his  nose,  and  after  a  Httle  consideration,  he  said, 
"  I  will  do  that,  but  only  if  you  will  promise  me 
your  first  son  after  you  are  married  to  the  princess 
of  China." 

The  factor  thought  within  himself.  Now  that  she  is 
a  princess,  I  am  quite  sure  she  will  not  willingly 
consent  to  marry  me,  and  I  will  release  her  from 
doing  so,  if  I  get  to  Pekin.  So  he  said  aloud,  "  Very 
well,  old  man,  I  agree  to  your  terms." 

"  Then,"  said  the  Old  Man  of  the  Sea,  "  get  on  my 
back." 

At  once  he  went  down  on  all  fours,  and  the  factor 
jumped  and  was  on  his  back  in  a  minute.  The  old 
man  ran  like  a  crab  sideways  to  the  water's  edge 
and  went  in,  and  then  began  to  swim,  working  his 
legs  and  arms  like  a  crab. 

The  distance  to  the  mainland  was  not  so  great  as 
might  have  been  supposed,  or  else  the  old  man  swam 
very  fast. 

The  factor  was  brought  ashore,  and  to  his  surprise 
found  himself  landed  in  China. 

As  the  old  man  shook  him  off  his  back,  he  lifted 
himself  up,  and,  rubbing  the  scales  on  his  nose,  said, 
"  Do  not  forget  your  promise.  When  you  have  your 
first-born  son,  I  will  come  and  demand  him." 

The  factor  went  on  through  the  land,  and  it  was 
speedily  noised  abroad  that  he  had  escaped  from 
drowning,  and  was  coming  to  claim  the  princess  and 
the  reward  promised  with  her. 

When  the  captain  heard  this,  he  was  filled  with 
fear  ;  he  thought  that  his  treachery  would  be  revealed, 
and  the  emperor  would   put  him   to   a  cruel    death. 

133 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

So  he  hasted  down  to  the  ship.  There  was  a  plank 
between  the  quay  and  the  deck,  and  he  went  hastily 
on  to  this  plank.  But  he  was  in  such  agitation  that 
his  feet  slipped  and  he  fell  over  into  the  sea. 

He  might,  no  doubt,  have  been  saved,  had  it  not 
been  that  the  Old  Man  of  the  Sea,  after  having 
deposited  the  factor  on  the  shore,  was  swimming 
about  under  water  to  see  whether  there  was  any 
refuse  cast  out  from  the  ships  which  he  might  eat 
himself,  or  take  home  to  his  little  ones.  And  just 
when  the  captain  fell  from  the  plank,  then  the  Old 
Man  of  the  Sea  came  up  out  of  deep  water  to  the 
surface,  and  threw  his  long  legs  and  arms  round 
him  and  carried  him  down  into  the  depths. 

The  sailors  and  those  on  shore  thought  that  the 
captain  had  been  seized  by  a  monstrous  water-spider 
or  grey  crab.  He  was  never  seen  again,  nor  is  it 
known  what  the  Old  Man  of  the  Sea  did  with  him, 
though  it  is  held  that  he  and  his  little  ones  ate  and 
enjoyed  him.  There  is  positively  no  accounting  for 
tastes. 

When  the  factor  came  to  the  palace,  the  princess 
wept  for  joy.  He  told  her  that  he  would  not  hold 
her  bound  by  her  father's  promise.  He  was  but  a 
poor  man,  and  she  an  illustrious  princess.  She 
answered  him  : — 

"Sir,  were  you  a  beggar,  I'd  still  be  your  wife, 
Because  when  just  dying  you  saved  my  life." 

So  the  marriage  was  prepared  with  great  splendour 
and  with  great  joy. 

A  twelvemonth  passed  in  great  happiness,  and  the 
134 


The  Turkey  Factor 

factor  loved  his  wife  very  dearly,  and  the  emperor 
and  empress  were  very  fond  of  him. 

At  last,  one  day,  the  princess  presented  him  with 
a  little  son. 

The  factor  was  overwhelmed  with  alarm  and 
concern.  He  remembered  the  promise  he  had  made, 
and  he  gave  orders  to  the  guards  to  watch  every 
road,  and  on  no  account  to  allow  any  one  to 
approach  the  palace  without  his  consent. 

That  night  he  heard  a  scratching  sound  against 
the  wall,  and,  looking  at  the  window,  saw  the  Old 
Man  of  the  Sea  entering.  He  had  crawled  up  like 
a  spider. 

The  old  man  stood  up  on  his  legs  for  a  moment 
when  he  entered  the  room,  and  said,  "  I  have  come 
for  your  son,  according  to  agreement." 

The  factor  was  for  some  moments  too  concerned 
to  speak.  At  last  he  mustered  up  courage  to  say, 
"  Give  me  till  to-morrow,  that  I  may  break  the 
news  to  my  wife.  I  have  not  yet  told  her  about 
the  promise." 

The  old  man  rubbed  the  scales  on  his  nose,  and 
considered,  then  said,  "  Very  well,  till  this  time  to- 
morrow. I  have  eaten  rather  freely  to-day,  and  am 
not  indisposed  to  postpone  the  consumption  of  the 
babe  till  I  have  digested  my  present  dinner." 

Then  he  rubbed  his  nose  again,  and  went  out  of 
the  window  on  all  fours,  and  down  the  wall  again. 

How  he  came  from  the  sea,  how  he  had  passed 
the  guards  unobserved,  the  factor  never  learned. 

The  father  was  in  inexpressible  distress.  He  was 
afraid  to  tell  his  dear  wife  that  she   must  part  with 

135 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

the  babe,  that  was  already  the  light  of  her  eyes  and 
the  treasure  of  her  heart. 

He  sat  up  late  in  great  distress  of  mind.  Then, 
all  at  once,  he  felt  a  chill  come  over  him,  and  he 
shivered.  Looking  up,  he  saw  a  shadowy  form. 
This  figure  addressed  him,  and  said,  "  I  am  the 
ghost  of  the  man  to  whom  you  gave  a  tomb.  You 
spent  fifty  pounds  to  obtain  for  me  decent  burial.  I 
have  not  forgotten  the  obligation.  Now  I  will  show 
you  how  to  obtain  delivery  from  the  Old  Man  of  the 
Sea.  You  observe  how,  whilst  speaking,  he  rubs  his 
nose.  That  is  because  of  the  scales  on  it.  If  those 
scales  were  off,  he  could  not  breathe  on  dry  land. 
When  he  appears  again,  then  rub  up  his  nose  the 
wrong  way,  and  all  the  scales  will  be  rubbed  off. 
He  will  lose  his  power,  and  gasp  like  a  fish  out  of 
water.  Catch  him  by  the  scruff  of  his  neck  and 
throw  him  into  the  Well  of  Imperial  Tears.  There 
he  will  swim  and  dive  till  the  end  of  time,  or  till  the 
tears  dry  up,  and  never  be  able  again  to  regain  the 
sea.  Henceforth,  when  you  look  on  your  little  son, 
remember  that  the  dead  as  well  as  the  living  can  be 
grateful." 

Thereupon  the  ghost  vanished. 

Next  evening,  when  the  Old  Man  of  the  Sea  came 
scrambling  into  the  room  through  the  window,  the 
factor  at  once  sprang  at  him  and  rubbed  his  nose 
upwards ;  whereupon  a  number  of  silvery  scales 
flew  off  and  fell  on  the  floor.  The  old  man  staggered 
back,  and  gasped,  and  could  not  speak.  His  power 
was  gone  from  him.  The  factor  seized  him  by  the 
scruff   of   his    neck    and    carried    him,   kicking    and 

136 


The  Turkey  Factor 

writhing,  to  the  courtyard,  and  threw  him  into  the 
well  that  had  been  filled  with  the  tears  of  the 
emperor  and  the  empress,  when  they  wept  for  their 
lost  daughter. 

Whether  he  be  still  there,  whether  the  well  be 
dried  up — these  are  matters  I  cannot  say,  as  I 
have  never  been  at  Pekin.      Ask  those  who  have. 


Note. — This  is  the  story  on  which  the  old  Eng-Hsh  ballad  of 
"  The  Turkey  Factor  "  runs.  I  have  somewhat  altered  the  conclu- 
sion, as  the  final  portion  of  the  ballad  is  rather  inexplicable. 
The  Tale  of  the  Thankful  Dead  is  very  widely  spread.  A  very 
similar  story  is  found  in  Wolf's  Detitsche  Hausmdrchen.  1851,  p. 
243.  A  variant  in  the  Zeitschrift  filr  deutsche  3Iythologie,  1855, 
from  the  Odenwald  (ii.  374),  where  the  merchant  is  English. 
Another  in  Meier's  Deutsche  Volksmdrchen  mis  Schivahen,  1852 
(No.  42),  where  also  the  merchant  is  Eng-lish.  A  version  in 
Strapparola's  NottipiacevoU,  Venice,  1573.  It  is  singular  that  in 
the  German  versions,  as  in  the  English,  the  end  should  be 
similar.     It  is  properly  this  : — 

The  merchant  or  factor,  when  cast  on  the  desert  island,  is 
assisted  by  a  mysterious  grey  man  (in  one  form  a  black  man),  who 
brings  him  to  the  mainland  on  condition  that  he  is  given  the 
firstborn.  At  the  covenanted  time  he  comes  for  the  babe,  and  the 
factor  yields  it  up,  to  receive  it  back  again,  and  then  the  black  or 
grey  man  reveals  the  fact  that  he  is  the  ghost  of  the  dead.  K. 
Simrock,  Der giite  Gerhardf,  conjectures  that  this  is  a  corrupt  form 
of  an  old  pagan  mjth,  that  Odin  or  Wuotan  is  the  grey  man,  who 
rewards  the  merchant  for  having  been  merciful  to  the  dead,  and 
that  the  offering  of  the  child  is  a  relic  of  human  sacrifice.  This  is 
extremely  probable,  the  original  significance  having  been  lost, 
and  by  this  means  the  later  part  of  the  story  got  into  confusion. 

The  English  ballad  which  I  have  used  is  not  older  than  the 
middle  of  last  century  ;  it  is  in  "white  letter,"  and  is  very  rudely 
versified,  without  a  particle  of  poetic  value.  It  was  printed  in 
Bow  Churchyard,  and  begins — 

Behold,  here's  a  ditty,  'tis  true  and  no  jest, 
Concerning  a  young  gentleman  in  the  East. 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

It  was  also  printed  by  J.  Evans,  41  Long-  Lane.  It  is  found  in 
the  Roxburghe  Coll.  iii.  869  ;  in  the  Douce  Coll.,  iv.  28,  is  one  of  J. 
Potts's,  probably  a  little  later.  **  The  Turkey  Factor's  Garland," 
Liverpool,  1794,  is  a  reprint.  The  earliest  dated  copy  is  "The 
Factor's  Garland,"  to  the  tune  of  "The  Wandering-  Lady,"  in  J. 
Roberts'  Collection  of  Old  Ballads ^  vol.  iii.  p.  221  ;  this  is  1725,  and 
as  this  was  an  old  ballad  then,  it  probably  dates  from  the  reign  of 
James  I. 

There  are  several  editions  of  the  ballad  in  broadside  and 
g-arland. 


38 


VII 

THE    UNDUTIFUL    DAUGHTER 


There  was  a  beautiful  damsel  who  lived  with  her 
father  and  mother  in  a  seaside  place.  They  had  a 
fine  house  and  garden,  and  many  servants. 

This  damsel  was  so  vain  that  she  cared  for 
nothing  but  to  look  at  her  face  in  a  glass. 

Now,  before  her  birthday,  her  father  said  to  her, 
"  Tell  me  what  you  most  desire  in  all  the  world, 
and  if  possible,  it  shall  be  yours." 

So  she  said,  "  Give  me  a  room,  all  the  walls  of 
which  are  lined  with  mirrors,  so  that  in  it,  wherever 
I  look,  I  shall  see  myself." 

He  was  sorrowful  when  he  heard  this,  and  he  said 
to  her,  "  My  dear  child,  unless  you  think  and  care 
for  something  else  except  your  own  self,  and  your 
own  beauty,  I  do  not  think  that  much  good  will 
attend  you." 

But  she  was  headstrong  and  vain,  and  nothing 
would  satisfy  her  but  to  have  her  looking-glass 
chamber.       She     answered     her     father     and     said, 

141 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

What  is  there  more  beautiful  to  be  seen  than  my 
face  ?  " 

He  rejoined,  "  Surely  there  are  sweet  flowers,  the 
rose  and  the  lily,  and  the  daffadowndilly." 

"  The  rose,"  said  she,  "  has  thorns,  the  lily  has  no 
colour,  and  the  daffadowndilly  has  no  scent.  I  am 
more  beautiful  than  all  these  flowers — I  have  no 
teasing  thorns,  I  have  blooming  pink  cheeks,  and 
my  breath  is  sweeter  than  the  new-mown  hay." 

"  Then,"  rejoined  her  father,  "  there  are  beauteous 
birds,  the  peacock  and  the  nightingale." 

"  The  peacock,"  she  said,  "  has  a  hideous  voice, 
and  the  nightingale  has  voice  and  no  comeliness. 
Therefore  I  am  better  than  they.  I  dress  more 
gorgeously  than  the  peacock,  and  I  have  the  voice 
of  a  nightingale." 

"  Then,"  rejoined  he,  "  consider  the  butterfly  and 
the  bee." 

"  The  butterfly,"  she  said,  "  has  no  honey,  and  the 
bee  has  a  sting.  I  am  better  than  they.  I  am 
joyous  and  bright  as  the  butterfly,  and  I  have  store 
of  gold  and  jewels  and  riches,  treasure  richer  than 
the  honey  in  the  hive  of  the  bee." 

When  her  father  heard  her  thus  speak,  he  saw 
that  her  mind  was  fully  eaten  up  with  vanity.  But 
as  he  had  promised  to  give  her  what  she  desired,  he 
was  obliged  to  let  her  have  the  room  lined  with 
mirrors. 

Therein  the  beautiful  damsel  was  happy.  She 
twirled  and  skipped,  and  looked  at  herself  from 
every  side,  and  in  every  posture,  and  was  quite 
satisfied    that   never   had    there   been    anyone    more 

142 


The  Undutiful  Daughter 

beautiful   than  she,  and   that  there  was   nothing  else 
worth  seeing  except  herself. 

So  time  passed,  and  a  new  birthday  drew  near. 
Then   her  father  said   to  her,  "  Tell  me  what  you 
wish,  and  I  will  give  it  you." 

She  answered, "  I  wish  to  consult  the  Old  Woman 
of  Norwood  as  to  whom  I  shall  marry." 

Her  father  rejoined,  "  That  is  not  a  wise  thing  to 
desire.  When  it  pleases  Heaven,  the  right  man  will 
come,  one  whom  I  and  your  mother  will  approve  of, 
and  you  will  love ;  and  if  he  is  a  man  of  honour,  and 
character,  and  family,  then  the  marriage  shall  take 
place.  You  are  our  only  child  and  our  heir,  and  we 
do  not  intend  you  to  be  thrown  away  on  anyone." 

"  Thrown  away  on  anyone ! "  exclaimed  the 
maiden.  "  I  am  not  one  who  will  allow  of  that.  I 
am  quite  sure  I  will  not  marry  anyone  under  a  king." 

"  A  king  !  "  exclaimed  her  father.  "  You  aim 
very  high.  I  do  not  know  where  you  will  find  one. 
Our  king  in  England  has  a  good  queen — God  grant 
him  and  her  a  long  life  !  " 

"  I  did  not  say  that  I  would  marry  an  English 
king.  There  are  other  kings,  and  one  may  come  to 
me  from  over  the  sea.  I  will  hear  what  the  Old 
Woman  of  Norwood  says  to  me." 

"  The  Norwood  gipsy  may  put  strange  fancies 
into  your  head.  She  can  do  you  no  good,"  said  her 
father. 

Nevertheless,  as  he  had  made  the  promise  to  let 
her  have  on  her  birthday  what  she  asked,  he  was 
obliged  to  consent. 

So    she    mounted    her   milkwhite    horse,   and    she 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

had  bells  of  silver  hung  to  the  bridle,  that  they 
might  tinkle,  and  cause  people  along  the  way  to 
run  out  of  their  houses  and  look  at  her,  the  most 
beautiful  damsel  in  all  England. 

When  she  reached  Norwood,  she  found  an  old 
woman  who  lived  in  a  hollow  oak  tree.  A  dog  lay 
at  her  feet,  a  black  cat  sat  on  a  branch  above  her 
head,  and  at  the  top  of  the  tree  was  perched  a  raven, 
and  above  the  tree-top  hummed  a  gnat.  Then  she 
put  a  purse  of  gold  into  the  old  woman's  hand,  and 
said  to  her,  "  Tell  me  whom  I  shall  marry,  and  what 
shall  become  of  me." 

Then  the  old  woman  said,  "  Little  dog,  little  dog  ! 
what  do  you  say  ?  " 

The  dog  stood  up  and  barked,  "  Wow-wow-wow." 

"  Did  you  hear  what  my  dog  said  ? "  asked  the 
Old  Woman  of  Norwood. 

"  I  heard  him  say  '  Wow-wow,'  nothing  more." 

"  He  said  in  Dog-Latin,  that  you  would  marry  a 
king." 

"  I  knew  it  would  be  so,"  retorted  the  girl.  "  Tell 
me  something  more  ?  " 

"  Little  cat,  little  cat !  what  do  you  say  ?  "  called 
the  gipsy  woman. 

Then  the  black  pussy  stood  up  on  the  branch, 
stretched  itself,  and  said,  "  Mi-aw,  mi-aw,  mi-aw." 

"  Did  you  hear  what  the  cat  said  ?  "  asked  the  witch. 

"  I  heard  him  say  '  Mi-aw,'  nothing  more." 

"  He  said  in  Cat-Greek,  that  you  would  sleep  in  a 
golden  bed." 

"  Of  course  I  shall,  if  I  marry  a  king.  Tell  me 
something  more." 

144 


The  Undutiful  Daughter 


D 


"  Little  crow,  little  crow  !  what  do  you  say  ? " 
screamed  the  old  hag. 

Then  the  raven  flapped  his  wings,  and  answered, 
"  Caw-caw-caw." 

"  Did  you  hear  what  the  raven  said  ?  "  asked  the 
gipsy. 

"  I  heard  him  say  '  Caw,'  nothing  more." 

"  He  said  in  Crow-Indian,  that  you  would  be 
attended  by  servants  dressed  in  blue,  who  would 
rock  you  in  your  golden  bed." 

"  That  is  nothing  wonderful,"  said  the  maiden. 
"  Tell  me  something  further." 

"  Little  gnat,  little  gnat !  what  do  you  say  ? " 
screamed  the  old  woman. 

Then  the  mosquito  that  was  humming  and  flutter- 
ing above  the  tree-top,  dropped  within  hearing  of  the 
girl's  ear,  and  with  a  shrill  pipe  cried,  "  Pe-heep." 

"  Did  you  hear  what  the  gnat  said  ?  "  asked  the 
witch. 

"  1  heard  him  give  a  shrill  little  cry,  like  '  Pe-heep  ! '  " 

"  That  was  Midge-Chinese.  He  said  you  would 
sleep  under  curtains  of  living  green." 

Well !  the  damsel  was  well  pleased  with  what  she 
had  heard,  but  she  wanted  to  know  more. 

The  witch  said,  "  I  have  no  more  creatures  whom 
I  can  ask,  except  only  a  worm  that  burrows  in  the 
ground,  and  he  cannot  speak." 

"  Then  what  good  is  he  ?  " 

"  He  can  crawl  on  a  slate  and  write  a  message," 
answered  the  witch. 

"  Then  summon  the  worm,"  ordered  the  girl. 

The  old  hag  took  a  piece  of  crooked  iron,  and 
lO  145 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

scratched  on  the  soil,  and  presently  drew  out  a  long 
red  worm.  This  she  placed  on  a  bit  of  slate,  and  it 
began  to  crawl. 

When  it  had  crawled  over  the  surface,  the  witch 
said — 

"  Do  you  see  what  he  has  written  ?  " 

"  I  see  only  some  slimy  wet  marks." 

"  That  is  his  writing,  and  he  writes  to  say,  that 
you  will  be  carried  away  from  home  in  a  coach 
drawn  by  a  thousand  white  horses,  shaking  their 
white  manes." 

"  That  will  be  a  grand  wedding,"  said  the  girl. 

Then  she  returned  home.  And  if  she  was  a 
proud  woman  when  she  went  forth  to  consult  the 
Old  Woman  of  Norwood,  she  was  a  prouder  woman 
when  she  came  home. 

She  went  into  her  room  lined  with  looking-glasses, 
and  said,  "  I  shall  marry  a  king." 

"  Who  told  you  that  ?  "   asked  her  mother. 

"It  was  said  by  the  dog  when  he  uttered  '  Wow- 
wow.'  " 

"  I  would  not  believe  the  bark  of  a  dog,"  said  her 
mother. 

"  And  I  shall  sleep  in  a  golden  bed,"  continued 
the  girl. 

"  Who  said  that  ?  "   asked  her  mother. 

"  That  was  said  by  the  cat  when  he  said  '  Mi-aw.'  " 

"  I  would  not  put  faith  in  the  mi-aw  of  a  cat," 
said  her  mother. 

"  And  I  shall  be  rocked  to  sleep  by  attendants 
dressed  in  gowns  of  blue,"  said  the  girl. 

"  Who  said  that  ?  "   asked  her  mother. 
146 


The  Undutiful  Daughter 

"  That  was  told  by  the  raven  when  he  said  '  Caw.'  " 

"  If  I  were  you,  I  would  laugh  at  the  caw  of  a 
crow,"  said  her  mother. 

"  And  I  shall  have  waving  curtains  of  living  green 
above  me,"  continued  the  vain  girl. 

"  Who  told  you  that  ?  "   asked  her  mother. 

"That  was  what  the  midge  said  that  fluttered  in 
the  air." 

"  And  what  does  a  midge  know  about  the  future  ?  " 
asked  her  mother. 

"  And  I  am  to  ride  in  a  coach  drawn  by  a  thousand 
milkwhite  horses,"  said  the  girl. 

"  Who  put  that  nonsense  into  your  head  ?  "  asked 
her  mother. 

"  That  was  written  by  an  earthworm  on  a  bit  of 
slate." 

"  And  pray,  who  taught  the  worm  to  write  ? " 
asked  her  mother.  "  I  can  see  farther  off  than  can 
those  stupid  creatures,  and  I  see  that  your  vanity 
and  folly  will  bring  you  to  a  bad  end." 

But  the  girl  would  give  no  heed  to  what  her 
mother  said.  She  believed  the  earthworm,  but  not 
her  own  mother. 

Now  drew  near  this  damsel's  birthday,  when  she 
would  be  eighteen.  And  one  night  she  had  a  dream, 
and  in  that  dream  she  saw  the  Old  Woman  of  Nor- 
wood, who  said  to  her,  "  I  have  appeared  to  tell 
you  something.  There  is  a  feather  on  the  tail  of 
the  gnat  that  flies  above  my  oak  tree,  and  the 
feather  told  the  gnat,  and  the  gnat  told  the  raven, 
and  the  raven  told  the  cat,  and  the  cat  told  the  dog, 
and  the  dog  told  the  earthworm,  and   the  earthworm 

147 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

scribbled  the  message  on  a  bit  of  an  old  crock,  that 
you  were  to  marry  on  your  eighteenth  birthday  the 
promised  king.  You  must  say  nothing  to  your 
father  or  mother.  He  is  now  in  the  harbour  with 
his  ship,  and  the  sign  of  the  ship  is  The  Golden 
Apple.  Ask  your  father  to  let  you  go  down  to  see 
over  the  barque.  The  Golden  Apple,  and  the  captain 
is  he  who  will  be  your  husband.  I  have  sent  a  hedge- 
priest  to  the  town,  and  he  will  marry  you  on  board 
ship.  But  mind  this — if  you  say  a  word  to  your 
father  or  mother  about  this,  all  will  fall  through  that 
has  been  promised  you.  I  have  appeared  in  dream 
to  the  sea-captain,  and  he  will  expect  you.  The 
priest  you  will  see  standing  by  the  capstan.  He 
has  been  unfrocked  by  the  bishop,  but  what  of  that  ? 
A  priest  is  always  a  priest." 

The  girl's  father  came  to  her  and  said,  "  To- 
morrow is  your  birthday :  ask  what  you  wish,  and  I 
will  do  it  for  you." 

Then  she  said,  "  There  is  a  ship  come  lately  into 
harbour,  called  The  Golden  Apple.  I  greatly  desire 
to  go  over  her." 

Her  father  shook  his  head,  and  said,  "  This  is  a 
very  unwise  request.  I  hear  no  good  account  ol 
this  vessel.  Some  say  it  is  that  of  a  notorious 
pirate ;  but,  indeed,  no  one  really  knows  any  certainty 
about  her,  nor  who  her  captain  is ;  but  some  assert 
that  the  crew  is  made  up  of  runagates,  and  has  on 
board  a  hedge-priest  lately  unfrocked  by  his  bishop 
for  grave  misconduct." 

However,  as  he  had  promised  to  let  her  have  her 
way,  he  was  obliged  to  grant  her  request. 

148 


The  Undutiful  Daughter 

Accordingly,  on  the  morrow  morning,  she  and 
her  father  and  mother  went  to  the  ship,  and  the 
captain  received  them  very  graciously,  and  invited 
them  to  go  all  over  the  vessel. 

By  the  capstan  was  a  man,  all  shaven  and  shorn, 
but  with  a  hang-dog  look,  and  the  fair  maid  was 
sure  this  was  the  priest  of  whom  the  Old  Woman  of 
Norwood  had  spoken. 

The  captain  invited  them  down  into  his  cabin, 
and  then  all  at  once  he  whistled,  and  his  sailors 
sprang  on  the  father  and  mother,  and  bound  their 
hands,  and  put  something  over  their  mouths  that 
they  could  not  cry  out,  and  forthwith  the  sea-cap- 
tain gave  his  hand  to  the  damsel,  and  led  her  up 
the  companion  ladder  on  deck,  and  the  hedge-priest 
hastily  married  them  over  the  capstan. 

After  that,  the  sea-captain  said,  "  Make  haste, 
go  home  and  bring  all  the  gold  and  silver  and  jewels 
in  the  house.  I  will  not  let  your  parents  go  till  that 
is  done. 

Oh,  take  of  your  father  his  gold  and  his  treasure, 
Oh,  take  of  your  mother  her  fee  without  measure." 

"  But,"  said  she,  "  is  it  true  that  you  are  a 
king?" 

"  Yes,"  he  answered ;  "  call  any  of  my  men  and 
ask  them." 

Then  she  summoned  a  little  cabin-boy,  and 
said,  "  Answer  me  truly — who  is  your  master  ?  " 

He  said  at  once,  "  He  is  a  king." 

Then  she  was  satisfied  that  she  had  the  right 
husband. 

149 


The  Old  English  Fairy    iales 

But  she  asked  further,  "  Shall  I  be  driven 
away  in  a  carriage  drawn  by  a  thousand  white 
horses  ?  " 

He  answered,  "  Yes ;  call  up  any  of  my  men,  and" 
ask  them." 

So  she  summoned  the  mate,  and  said,  "  Is  it  so, 
that  if  I  go  with  your  master,  I  shall  be  carried 
away  in  a  coach  drawn  by  a  thousand  white 
horses  ?  " 

He  answered,  "  Nay,  you  say  too  few.  There 
will  be  ten  thousand  white  horses  shaking  their 
milkwhite  manes." 

Then  she  was  content. 

She  hasted  on  shore,  and  she  filled  baskets  with 
all  the  jewels  and  gold  she  could  find,  the  silver 
plate,  the  necklaces  and  chains  of  her  mother,  rings 
and  goblets,  and  everything  of  value  she  could  lay 
her  hands  on,  and  she  made  all  her  servants  carry 
them  down  to  the  harbour,  and  they  were  taken  on 
board  by  the  sea-captain  and  his  men. 

Then  he  said,  "  Is  all  here  ?  " 

She  said,  "  All  but  one  gold  bodkin  with  which 
my  mother  does  her  netting,  and  one  silver  spoon 
with  which  my  father  eats  an  egg." 

He  said,  "  Go  and  fetch  them." 

So  she  went  back  and  brought  the  gold  bodkin 
and  the  silver  spoon,  and  then  nothing  was  left  in 
the  house  but  pewter  dishes  and  maplewood 
bowls,  and  a  wooden  spoon. 

Now,  when  she  had  thus  cleared  her  home,  then 
the  captain  released  her  father  and  mother,  and  at 
once  spread  sail,  and   as  there  was  a  fine  wind   off 

150 


The  Undutiful  Daughter 

shore,  the  sail  filled,  and  the  ship  flew  away  to  sea 
like  a  gull. 

Then  said  the  damsel,  "  But  where  is  the  coach  ?  " 
and  where  are  the  white  horses  ?  " 

The  captain  laughed  and  answered,  "This  ship  is 
the  coach,  and  the  waves  shaking  their  white  manes 
are  the  horses." 

"  But,"  said  she,  "  you  are  a  king.  Where  is  your 
kingdom  ?  " 

"  My  kingdom  is  this  ship,"  he  answered,  "  and 
my  name  is  Andrew  King.  Therefore  it  is  true 
that  you  have  wed  A.  King." 

Then  she  saw  that  she  had  been  deceived,  and 
she  cried  out — 

**0  captain!  O  captain!  here's  fifty  gfold  crowns. 
I  pray  thee,   I  pray  thee  to  turn  the  ship  round. 
O  captain  !  O  captain,  here's  fifty  gold  pounds, 
If  thou  wilt  but  set  me  again  on  the  ground." 

But  he  would  not  hear  of  it. 

Now  before  very  long  she  found  that  her  husband, 
the  sea-captain,  was  indeed  a  great  pirate,  and  robbed 
ships  on  the  sea. 

And  when  she  had  sailed  to-day  and  to-morrow. 
She  was  wringing  her  hands,  and  bewailing  in  sorrow. 
And  when  she  had  sailed  not  many  a  mile, 
She  knew  she  had  been  an  undutiful  child. 

Now  after  a  while  a  strange  thing  happened. 

Although  the  sails  were  full  spread,  and  the  wind 
blew  free,  yet  the  vessel  made  no  way  in  the  sea. 
And  this  was  the  reason,  I  suppose.     The  father  and 

151 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

the  mother  of  the  damsel  had  been  so  filled  with 
grief  that  they  had  been  plundered  and  deserted  by 
their  own  daughter,  whom  they  had  loved  so  dearly, 
and  had  treated  with  such  indulgence,  that  both 
died  of  a  broken  heart,  and  neither  blessed  the 
daughter  before  death  closed  their  eyes  and  paralysed 
their  tongues.  And  it  is  said  that  no  ship  will  sail 
with  one  on  board  who  has  been  the  death  of  father 
and  mother,  and  unforgiven  by  them. 

And  when  she  had  sailed  to-day  and  to-morrow, 
She  was  wring-'mg  her  hands,  and  bewailing-  in  sorrow. 
And  when  she  had  sailed,  the  days  were  not  many, 
The  sails  were  outspread,  but  of  miles  made  not  any. 

Then  the  sailors  saw  they  were  in  evil  plight,  and 
that  there  was  something  which  prevented  their 
getting  forward  with  the  ship.  It  is  told  that  there 
is  a  little  shell-fish,  like  a  limpet,  called  the  remora, 
and  that  when  it  attaches  itself  to  the  keel,  it  arrests 
a  vessel  in  full  sail. 

The  sailors  dived  and  examined  the  ship's  keel, 
and  no  remora  was  there.  So  they  knew  that  the 
fault  must  be  on  board,  and  they  resolved  to  draw 
lots,  and  discover  who  it  was  who  held  the  ship  fast 
in  mid-seas. 

They  cast  the  black  bullets  as  they  sailed  on  the  water, 
The  black  bullet  fell  on  the  undutiful  daughter. 
"Oh,  who  in  the  ship  must  go  over  the  side?" 
Oh,   none  save  the  maiden,  the  fair  captain's  bride. 

When  the  damsel  learned  that  the  lot  had  fallen 
on  her,  and  she  was  to  be  cast  overboard,  and   that 

152 


The  Undutiful  Daughter 

unless  she  were  drowned,  the  ship  could   not  move 
on  her  way,  then  she  said,  weeping — 


"Oh,  get  me  a  boat  that  is  narrow  and  thin 
And  set  me,  undutiful  daughter,   therein." 

But  they  refused.  They  wanted  the  boat  for 
themselves,  and  could  not  spare  it  for  her.  Then 
she  said — 

"Oh,  take  a  white  napkin,  about  my  head  bind  it. 
Oh,  take  a  white  napkin,  about  my  feet  wind  it. 
Alack  that  I  must  in  the  deep  salten  water, 
Alack!  I  must  sink,  an  undutiful  daug-hter." 

To  this  they  agreed.  They  bound  a  v/hite 
kerchief  about  her  head,  and  they  wrapped  a  sheet 
about  her  feet. 

They  took  a  white  napkin,  about  her  head  bound  it, 
They  took  a  white  napkin,  about  her  feet  wound  it, 
They  cast  the  fair  pretty  maid  over,  and  she 
Did  sink  out  of  sight  in  cruel  salt  sea. 

Then  at  once  the  beak  of  the  vessel  began  to  cut 
the  waves,  they  foamed  about  her  sides,  and  she 
sped  along  her  course  like  a  gull.  That  night  there 
was  no  cloud  in  the  sky,  an  east  wind  was  blowing, 
and  the  moon  was  full.  Then  the  man  at  the  wheel 
saw  something  in  the  water : — 

The  moon  it  was  shining,  the  tide  it  was  flowing, 
Oh,  what  in  the  wake  of  the  vessel  was  swimming? 
"Oh,  see,  boys!  oh,  see!  how  she  floats  in  the  water! 
Oh,   see,  boys!  oh,  see!  the  undutiful  daughter." 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

At  the  cry  of  the  man  at  the  helm  all  the  crew 
ran  on  deck,  and  with  them  the  captain,  and  they 
could  see  the  dead  woman  following  the  ship. 

Then  the  sea-captain  spoke,  standing  in  the 
bows — 

"Why  swim  in  the  moonlig-ht,  upon  the  sea  swaying-? 
Oh,  what  art  thou  seeking-?  for  what  art  thou  praying?" 
"O  captain!  O  captain!  I  float  on  the  water, 
For  the  sea  giveth  up  the  undutiful  daughter. 

Oh,  take  of  my  father  the  gold  and  the  treasure. 
Oh,  take  of  my  mother  a  fee  without  measure. 
Oh,  make  me  a  coffin  of  deepest  gold^  yellow. 
And  bury  me  under  the  banks  of  green  willow." 

The  demand  of  the  dead  lady  was  not  so  readily 
granted.  The  captain  did  not  like  to  take  all  the 
treasure  that  the  maiden  had  carried  off,  and  convert 
it  into  a  coffin.  But  night  and  day  the  drowned 
woman  followed  the  ship,  and  cried  out  for  the 
restoration  of  all  that  of  which  she  had  despoiled 
her  parents. 

It  was  clear  that  she  could  not  sink.  The  sea 
rejected  her,  because  of  her  guilt. 

After  three  days,  the  sailors  became  so  alarmed 
at  being  thus  followed  by  the  dead  woman,  that 
they  insisted  on  her  demand  being  complied  with. 
So  she  was  again  taken  on  board. 

Now,  all  the  gold  was  brought  forth  and  melted 
up,  and  made  into  a  golden  coffin,  and  in  that  golden 
cofBn  her  body  was   laid  ;    and  they  put  in   beside 

^  In  the  original  '*  deepest  stole  yellow"  :  what  stole  means  I  do 
not  know. 


I 


The  Undutiful  Daughter 

her  all  the  jewels  she  had  taken  from  her  parents. 
Then  they  lowered  the  gold  coffin  into  the  sea  again, 
and  at  once  it  began  to  float  away,  with  the  sun 
shining  on  it,  and  was  lost  to  sight. 

After  three  days,  they  were  short  of  water,  and  so 
came  ashore  to  fill  their  casks. 

The  sails  they  were  spread,  and  the  wind  it  was  blowing-, 
The  sea  was  so  salt,  and  the  tide  it  was  flowing-. 

They  steered  for  the  land,  and  they  reach(^d  the  shore. 
But  the  lady  in  her  coffin  had  got  there  before. 

It  was  even  so.  The  first  thing  they  saw  on 
coming  to  land  was  the  gold  coffin  washed  up  on 
the  beach.  Then  they  heaved  it  farther  up,  to  where 
hung  some  green  willows,  and  they  buried  the 
undutiful  daughter  under  their  waving,  living  green 
boughs  —  and  so  were  fulfilled  all  the  words  of 
prophecy  told  concerning  her.  She  had  married  a 
king.  She  had  been  driven  in  a  coach  by  white 
horses,  even  by  the  foaming  waves.  She  had  slept 
in  a  golden  bed, — her  coffin, — and  been  rocked  by 
attendants  in  blue  gowns,  even  the  sea-waves ;  and 
she  had  now  been  laid  under  wavy  curtains  of  living 
green,  the  branches  of  the  willow. 

Note.— The  old  ballad  of  "The  Undutiful  Daughter"  is  one  that 
I  have  heard  from  half  a  dozen  ag-ed  singers  in  the  west  of  England. 
It  is  always  sung  to  the  melody  to  which  "The  Frog  and  the  Crow  " 
is  set  in  Mr.  W.  Crane's  The  Bahys  Opera.  A  similar  ballad  is 
found  in  Scotland,  "  Bonnie  Annie  "  ;  it  is  given  by  Kinloch,  but  is 
more  imperfect  than  the  English  form  of  the  ballad.  In  the  story 
I  have  based  on  it,  all  the  first  part  is  new  ;  for  obvious  reasons  I 
haVe  been  unable  to  follow  the  ballad  exactly — that  is  to  say,  for 
reasons  obvious  to  all  who  are  acquainted  with  the  ballad. 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

There  is  an  old  printed  ballad  entitled  "  The  Faithless  Captain  ; 
or,  The  Betrayed  Virgin,"  which  seems  to  be  a  comparatively 
modern  recast  of  the  older  story.  All  the  supernatural  element  has 
been  eliminated  from  it.  Instead  of  the  damsel  being-  cast  over- 
board because  the  lot  is  thrown  and  falls  to  her,  the  ship  is 
nearly  wrecked,  and  she  accidentally  falls  overboard.  The  body 
still  follows  the  vessel,  and,  seeing  his  bride  there  in  the  water,  the 
captain,  who,  after  all,  is  not  faithless,  jumps  overboard,  and  is 
drowned  as  well. 


156 


VIII 

THE  SHEPHERDS  OF  SALISBURY  PLAIN 


When  was  it? — On  a  Monday  morning,  at  four  by 
the  clock,  did  Duke  Gerans  die. 

And  when  Gerans,  Duke  of  Dunan  Dufeneth — 
that  is  to  say,  of  what  is  now  Devonshire,  died,  he 
left  his  daughter  Imogen  to  the  care  of  Melor,  Duke 
of  Cornwall.  He  had  no  son,  this  sole  daughter, 
and  she  was  his  heir. 

Now  Duke  Melor  was  an  ambitious  man,  and  he 
thought  how  that  he  would  like  to  unite  the  two 
duchies  under  his  rule.  Therefore  he  kept  Imogen 
in  his  court,  and  had  her  well  watched,  and  he  put 
her  to  common  duties,  such  as  ill  befitted  her  rank. 
She  was  set  to  wash  the  clothes,  and  to  card  and 
spin,  and  make  up  the  fires.  And  all  she  got  for 
her  work  was,  "  Fie,  Imogen  !   thou  art  idle  !  " 

Now  there  was  a  prince  in  Wales  of  the  name  of 
Raymond.  He  was  hunting  one  day,  and  he  rode 
on  in  the  wood  till  evening  fell.  Then  all  at  once 
the  oak  trees  began   to  dance.      They  plaited   their 

159 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

branches  together,  and  went  round  and  round  in  a 
ring,  and  shook  their  leaves,  and  trailed  their  roots 
along  the  ground.  Raymond's  horse  stood  still  and 
trembled. 

The  owls  began  to  fly  about  hooting,  and  the  bats 
to  cry  and  dash  to  and  fro.  Then  little  blue  flames 
appeared  on  the  ground,  also  in  a  ring,  and  danced 
from  left  to  right,  whilst  the  oaks  danced  from  right 
to  left. 

Raymond  looked  on  in  great  astonishment,  and 
knew  not  what  all  this  portended. 

Then  he  saw  that  the  oaks  began  to  change 
shape,  and  gradually  they  assumed  the  forms  of  old 
women  clad  in  cobwebs,  and  with  mildew  on  their 
heads  instead  of  hair.  All  at  once  they  stood  still, 
and  then  with  a  leap  the  blue  flames  sprang  on  to 
their  heads,  disappeared,  just  as  if  they  had  sunk 
through  their  crowns,  and  shone  out  of  their  eyes 
like  glow-worms. 

The  horse  on  which  Raymond  rode  trembled  so 
greatly  as  to  shake  his  rider,  and  he  could  not  count 
how  many  old  women,  and  how  many  pairs  of 
shining  eyes,  were  fixed  on  him. 

Then  the  earth  opened  before  Raymond,  and  out 
of  it  issued  a  puff  of  very  white  smoke,  like  steam 
with  moonlight  on  it,  and  this  smoke  became  a 
cloud,  and  the  cloud  dispersed,  and  in  the  place 
where  it  had  been  he  saw  a  fairy ;  she  was  old, 
wore  a  crown  on  her  head,  and  had  long  silver  hair, 
very  fine,  that  hung  down  to  her  feet. 

She  spoke  to  Raymond  and  said,  "  Prince  !  I  am 
Morgana,  and   am  the  last  of  the  fairies  who  have 

1 60 


The  Shepherds  of  Salisbury  Plain 

power.  All  these  you  see  about  you  are  those  who 
lived  and  were  mighty  in  the  days  of  King  Arthur. 
But  they  are  wasted  and  wprn  away.  I  was  the 
youngest  of  all,  and  the  time  of  my  reign  is  coming 
to  an  end,  and  then  I  shall  become  even  as  they.  For 
this  cause  have  I  appeared  to  you.  Imogen,  the 
daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Duffeneth,  is  my  godchild. 
Her  father  is  dead,  and  she  is  his  heir.  The  accursed 
Saxons,  with  their  Nixes  and  Kobbolds,  are  flowing 
on  over  the  land,  and  driving  all  the  old  fairies  and 
pixies  into  holes  and  corners.  I  love  the  ancient 
British  race.  I  do  not  desire  to  see  the  Saxons 
extend  their  power  farther  west.  Therefore  I  would 
have  Imogen  to  be  your  wife,  for  you  are  brave,  and 
belong  to  the  good  old  Welsh  stock.  Also,  I  love 
my  god-child,  and  would  deliver  her  from  her  present 
condition.  She  is  now  with  the  Duke  of  Cornwall, 
who  does  not  treat  her  well,  and  as  becomes  her  rank. 
Look  here  !  " 

Then  the  fairy  held  up  a  great  mirror,  and  at 
once  it  was  full  of  light  like  a  great  moon,  and  in 
the  midst  of  the  blaze  stood  the  figure  of  a  beautiful 
girl. 

'*  This  is  she,"  said  Morgana.  "  This  is  Imogen, 
who  is  to  be  your  wife.      Go  and  deliver  her." 

Then  the  glass  became  clouded  and  eclipsed. 
The  fairy  disappeared,  and  all  the  old  hags  were 
resolved  again  into  oak  trees  that  were  stationary. 

After  this  adventure.  Prince  Raymond  could  think 
only  of  the  beautiful  girl  he  had  seen  in  the  mirror, 
and  he  had  no  rest  till  he  had  started  in  quest 
of  her. 

II  i6i 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

At  last  he  reached  Cornwall,  and  he  traversed  it 
till  he  arrived  at  the  palace  of  the  duke.  He  was 
received  with  great  honour,  and  was  well  entertained. 
At  table  he  looked  round,  but  nowhere  could  he  see 
the  beautiful  damsel  of  the  mirror.  There  were 
many  fair  women  present,  but  none  in  the  least 
resembled  her.  He  wondered,  but  said  nothing. 
He  remained  for  several  days  at  the  court,  but  did 
not  see  the  object  of  his  love ;  and  he  began  to 
suspect  that  he  had  been  duped  by  a  dream. 

One  while  he  melancholy  pines 

Himself  with  grief  away  ; 
Anon  he  thinks  by  force  of  arms, 

To  win  her  if  he  may. 

One  day,  sad  at  heart,  he  walked  by  the  side  of 
the  river  Camel,  when  he  saw  that  a  girl  was  there 
washing  linen  in  the  water. 

He  did  not  concern  himself  about  her,  but,  as  he 
drew  near,  he  saw  her  face  reflected  in  the  water. 
There  was  much  light  in  the  sky,  and  this  shone 
round  her  face,  just  as  he  had  seen  the  beautiful 
damsel  in  the  fairy  Morgana's  mirror.  He  stood 
still,  and  looked  more  attentively,  and  recognised 
that  this  was  the  very  maiden  he  had  had  assured  to 
him  as  his  wife. 

He  at  once  addressed  her  with  respect,  and  asked 
her  name.  She  replied  that  she  was  Imogen, 
daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Duffeneth.  Then  he  told 
who  he  was,  and  asked  her  if  she  would  be  his  true 
love  and  bride. 

She  answered  that  she  could  do  nothing  without 
162 


The  Shepherds  ot  Salisbury  Plain 

the  consent  of  the  Duke  Mellor  of  Cornwall,  who 
was  her  guardian,  and  she  advised  the  prince  to  open 
his  purpose  to  him. 

Raymond  accordingly  went  to  the  palace  and 
declared  to  the  duke  that  he  desired  the  hand  of  his 
ward,  the  Lady  Imogen,  in  marriage. 

The  duke  was  much  concerned,  but  he  disguised 
the  embarrassment  in  which  he  w^as,  and  promised  to 
consider  the  matter  well  and  discuss  it  with  the 
duchess  and  with  his  counsellors,  and  he  promised 
to  give  an  answer  in  three  weeks.  Meanwhile,  he 
desired  the  prince  to  return  to  his  own  land  and 
make  all  preparations  to  receive  his  bride  in  the 
event,  which  he  did  not  doubt,  of  the  decision  arrived 
at  being  favourable. 

Prince  Raymond  at  once  agreed  to  this,  and,  after 
having  in  vain  solicited  an  interview  with  Imogen, 
to  bid  her  farewell,  he  departed,  more  enamoured  after 
having  seen  her  that  once  by  the  waterside  than  he 
had  been  when  shown  her  likeness  in  the  magic  glass. 

Now  Duke  Mellor  acted  in  subtlety.  He  had  no 
desire  to  have  his  ward  married  to  a  powerful  prince 
who  would  claim  the  duchy  of  Duffeneth,  and  he 
hasted  during  the  absence  of  the  prince  to  arrange 
the  marriage  of  the  beautiful  and  noble  Imogen  with 
a  common  stable-boy. 

Imogen  was  filled  with  grief  and  shame  when  she 
learned  the  intention  of  Duke  Mellor.  She  besought 
her  guardian  to  allow^  her  to  remain  as  a  drudge, 
and  unrharried.  She  declared  that  she  had  no  desire 
to  become  a  wife,  and  that  she  abhorred  the  choice 
he  had  made  for  her.     He  was  deaf  to  her  entreaties. 

163 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Then  she  resolved  to  effect  her  escape.  She  put 
on  her  most  sordid  garments,  stained  her  face  and 
hands  with  walnut  juice,  and  made  up  a  little  bundle 
of  her  effects. 

The  lady,  shifting  out  of  doors, 

Departed  then  by  stealth. 
Than  thus  with  baseness  to  be  watched 

Who  should  have  lived  in  wealth  ? 

The  story  turns  now  to  the  noble  Raymond,  who, 
on  reaching  Wales,  found  that  there  had  been  a 
revolution  during  his  absence,  and  that  a  kinsman 
had  usurped  the  throne  and  crown,  so  that  he  could 
not  enter  his  realm.  He  was  therefore  obliged  to 
turn  his  course  elsewhere,  and  was  ashamed  in  these 
circumstances  to  go  back  to  Cornwall.  He  could 
not  ask  the  beautiful  Imogen  to  share  his  fortunes, 
when  these  were  so  low  at  ebb. 

His  horse  took  him  on  through  England,  till  he 
was  obliged  to  part  with  him,  because  he  had 
exhausted  all  the  money  he  had  in  his  purse. 

When  he  had  sold  his  horse,  he  lived  for  a  while 
on  the  produce,  and  when  that  came  to  an  end,  he 
sold  his  rich  apparel,  and  lived  on  what  he  received 
for  that,  wearing  only  a  poor  dress.  At  last  he  was 
constrained  to  sell  his  sword,  and  he  lived  a  week  on 
the  money  he  had  obtained  for  his  sword.  Then  he 
hacked  away  his  spurs,  that  were  of  gold,  and  dis- 
posed of  them  to  a  goldsmith,  and  was  able  to 
maintain  himself  for  one  month  on  what  his  spurs 
brought  in. 

After  that,  he  had  nothing  more  to  sell,  and  rather 
164 


The  Shepherds  of  Salisbury  Plain 

than  starve,  he  hired  himself  as  a  shepherd  on 
Salisbury  Plain.  Now  he  began  to  think  with  sad- 
ness on  the  loss  of  the  fair  Imogen.  He  valued  his 
lost  principality  only  as  a  means  of  winning  her. 

A  brace  of  years  upon  that  plain, 

Near  Salisbury  that  lies, 
In  ill  content  with  feeding  flocks, 

A  shepherd's  life  he  tries. 

Now,  as  he  roamed  over  the  plain,  he  often 
encountered  a  shepherdess  who  was  young,  and  who 
took  care  of  a  flock  of  sheep.  She  often  sat  in  the 
shade  of  one  of  the  great  stones  that  form  Stonehenge. 
She  would  pluck  the  harebells  in  summer,  and  form 
a  wreath  of  them  for  her  hair,  and  would  decorate 
the  little  lambs  in  spring  with  pretty  flowers. 

Raymond  both  observed  and  spake  with  her, 
indeed  on  that  wide  and  desolate  plain  there  were 
not  many  with  whom  he  could  converse.  He  learned 
that  she  was  the  shepherdess  to  a  very  old  couple 
who  lived  at  some  distance ;  but  she  would  not  tell 
him  much  about  herself,  for  she  was  very  shy  and 
modest. 

In  spring  Raymond  made  himself  a  pipe  of  willow, 
and  played  to  her,  sitting  by  her  side  among  the 
huge  masses  of  Stonehenge. 

Now,  not  a  little  to  his  shame  and  self-reproach, 
did  he  discover  that  his  heart  was  turning  with  love 
to  the  shepherdess  who  called  herself  Maudlin.  He 
wondered  that  he  could  forget  the  beautiful  Imogen 
so  soon.  Moreover,  he  thought  it  great  disgrace  that 
he,   of   royal    blood,   should    love   so    much   a   poor 

165 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

peasantess.  But  he  considered  further  that  fate  was 
against  him,  that  he  had  not  the  smallest  chance  of 
recovering  his  principality,  and  that  therefore  as  a 
shepherd  he  must  live  and  die.  If,  then,  he  was 
to  remain  a  shepherd,  it  would  be  sensible  to  submit 
to  what  could  not  be  helped,  and  marry  a  girl  of  the 
class  to  which  he  had  been  cast  down. 

Now,  it  will  be  remembered  that  the  fairy  Morgana 
had  appeared  to  Prince  Raymond  and  had  shown 
him  the  image  of  Imogen  in  a  glass,  and  had  urged 
him  on  to  go  into  Cornwall  and  ask  for  her  to  be 
his  wife.  She  had  not  forgotten  Raymond  in  his 
trouble  and  exile,  and  one  day,  whilst  he  was  sitting 
along  with  Maudlin  under  one  of  the  great  stones 
of  Stonehenge,  she  suddenly  appeared  before  them, 
dressed  all  in  green,  and  with  her  silvery  hair  flutter- 
ing about  her  head,  so  that  she  looked  like  a  living 
daisy. 

She  said  to  the  young  people  as  they  started  to 
their  feet,  "  Do  not  be  afraid  of  me.  I  will  do  you 
no  harm.  I  will  take  care  of  your  interests ;  but  to 
assure  my  favour,  I  desire  one  thing  of  you.  There 
is  a  fountain  of  the  purest  water  that  bubbles  up  at 
some  little  distance  from  this  spot.  I  desire  you  to 
go  every  morning  and  clear  out  this  spring.  A 
hideous  toad  jumps  into  it  at  night,  and  unless 
this  toad  be  taken  out  before  the  sun's  rays  fall  on 
the  water,  great  mischief  must  ensue.  Therefore  I 
ask  if  you  will  undertake  this  for  me,  to  cleanse  the 
fountain,  and  remove  the  toad  every  morning  early. 
I  do  not  force  you  to  do  it.  I  ask  you  if  you  will. 
But,  remember,   if  you   freely  undertake  to  do  this 

1 66 


The  Shepherds  of  SaHsbury  Plain 

thing  for  me,  I  expect  that  you  will  fulfil  your 
undertaking." 

The  young  people  cheerfully  promised  to  do  what 
the  fairy  had  requested,  and  she  pointed  out  the 
spring  to  them,  and  then  vanished. 

And  now,  every  morning,  they  rose  very  early,  and 
met  at  Stonehenge,  and  went  on  together  to  the 
well,  and  cleared  it  out  and  threw  out  the  hideous 
toad ;  and  this  they  did  daily  before  the  sun 
ascended  into  the  sky. 

This  went  on  for  some  while.  At  last  came 
Midsummer  Eve,  and  then  there  is  really  no  dark- 
ness at  night  at  all.  The  two  young  peasants  met 
very  early  indeed  at  the  circle  of  Stonehenge,  and, 
because  it  was  so  early,  they  thought  there  was 
plenty  of  time  before  them ;  and  because  it  was 
Midsummer  morning.  Maudlin  had  collected  flowers, 
and  she  was  weaving  a  wreath  for  the  head  of  the 
young  shepherd,  her  companion  ;  and  he,  on  his  side, 
had  collected  a  posy  and  bound  it  with  a  green  rush, 
and  had  brought  his  pipes,  wherewith  to  play  her 
a  tune.  But,  instead  of  continuing  to  play  his  pipes, 
he  put  the  instrument  down  on  the  grass,  and  sang 
to  her  the  following  song — 

*'  The  ploughman's  labour  hath  no  end, 
And  he  doth  churlish  prove  ; 
The  tradesman  hath  more  work  in  head 
Than  doth  consort  with  love  ; 

The  merchant  venturing  abroad, 

Is  ever  on  the  roam  ; 
The  sailor  tosses  on  the  seas, 

He  rarely  is  at  home. 
167 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Then  choose  a  shepherd,  bonnie  girl, 

Whose  hfe  is  merry  still, 
Who  gaily  spendeth  all  his  day 

Upon  the  fair  green  hill ; 

And  when  at  eve  the  day  is  done, 

Returneth  home  betime. 
And  at  the  fire  turns  a  crab. 

And  sings  some  merry  rhyme. 

Nor  lacks  he  tales,  while  round  about 

The  nut-brown  bowl  doth  trot, 
And  sitting  sings  his  cares  away, 

Till  he  to  bed  be  got. 

Then  sleeps  he  soundly  all  the  night. 

Regards  not  morrow's  cares. 
Nor  fears  the  blasting  of  his  corn. 

Nor  the  wrecking  of  his  wares. 

Oh,  this  I  know  full  well,  fair  lass, 

More  quiet  nights  and  days 
The  shepherd  sleeps  and  wakes,  than  he 

Whose  cattle  he  doth  graze. 

A  king,  in  truth,  is  but  a  man, 

And  that,  sweet  lass,  am  I. 
Content  is  worth  a  monarchy. 

But  mischiefs  shoot  full  high." 

It  was  a  pretty  song.  When  he  had  done,  he  saw 
that  the  damsel  was  in  tears. 

Then  he  said,  "  This  is  very  truth.  Those  who 
sit  high,  at  them  doth  Mischance  aim  her  bow.  It 
is  through  the  hearts  of  the  greatest  on  earth  that 
the  keenest  arrows  pierce." 

"  That  is  indeed  so,"  observed  the  girl.  "  Those 
who  stand  on  the  ground  cannot  be  cast  down, 
only  such  as  be  on  high." 

1 68 


i 


The  Shepherds  of  Salisbury  Plain 

"  It  is  with  us,"  said  Raymond,  "  that  we  are  in  a 
lowly  condition,  and  in  our  lowliness  are  not  exposed 
to  great  tribulation.  Now  listen  :  I  will  tell  you  a 
story. 

"  There  was  once  upon  a  time  a  young  prince,  and 
he  rode  into  a  distant  duchy  to  seek  himself  a  wife. 
When  he  arrived  in  that  duchy  " — 

"  What  duchy  was  it  ?  "  asked  Maudlin. 

"  The  duchy  of  Cornwall,"  answered  Raymond. 

Then  he  continued :  "  When  he  was  there,  he 
saw  the  most  beautiful  damsel  imaginable — curiously 
enough,  now  that  I  look  on  you,  you  remind  me  ot 
her  greatly." 

"  Where  did  he  see  her  ?  "  asked  Maudlin. 

"  That  is  singular — he  saw  her  face  in  the  water. 
She  was  stooping  over  the  river  washing  clothes. 
But  ^o  proceed.  The  prince  asked  her  hand  of  the 
duke,  and  he  was  bidden  return  to  his  principality 
in  Wales  and  make  all  ready  for  the  wedding. 
Accordingly  he  departed,  but  when  he  reached  his 
native  province,  he  found  that  a  cousin  had  usurped 
his  power  and  dominion  ;  so  that  he,  from  being  a 
great  man,  had   been  cast  very  low.      So.  in  this  case 

Mischief  shot  full  high. 

And  in  such  distress  was  he  that  he  was  con- 
strained to  sell  his  horse,  and  his  garments,  and  his 
sword  and  gold  spurs — and  at  last  to  become  " — 

Then  Raymond  hastily  arrested  himself. 

Thereupon  Maudlin  smiled,  and  said,  "  And  did 
the  prince  forget  the  beautiful  damsel,  and  fall  in 
love  with  another  ?  " 

169 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Raymond  coloured  crimson — he  could  not  answer 
her.     Then  she  said — 

**  I  grant,    fair  youth,  you  loved  her  well. 
If  that  your  love  were  such, 
Yet  think  of  me,  your  second  love. 
In  love  to  be  as  much. 

Your  twice-beloved  maid  is  here. 

Submits  herself  to  thee. 
And  what  she  could  not  at  the  first. 

The  second  time  shall  be. 

In  fortune,  not  in  person  changed. 

For  I  am  still  the  same. 
In  heart  and  mind  as  chaste  and  true 

As  first  to  me  you  came." 

You  cannot  imagine  the  joy  and  surprise  of 
Raymond  when  he  discovered  that  the  shepherdess 
of  Salisbury  Plain  was  no  other  than  his  dear 
Imogen,  and  that,  thinking  himself  to  be  false,  he 
had  all  the  while  been  true. 

Then  she  told  her  story,  how  she  had  fled  from 
the  court  of  the  Duke  of  Cornwall,  and  had  taken 
service  with  a  poor  old  couple  on  the  edge  of 
Salisbury  iPlain. 

Then,  all  at  once,  the  sun  rose  and  flashed  on  the 
two  as  they  sat  talking,  and  Maudlin — or  Imogen,  as 
her  real  name  was — cried  out  that  they  had  forgotten 
about  the  fountain. 

At  once  they  hastened  to  it ;  Imogen  carrying  the 
wreath  she  had  been  wearing,  and  Raymond  with 
the  pipe  in  his  hand.  They  ran  to  the  hawthorn 
bush   under  which  bubbled   up  the  spring,  and,  she 

170 


The  Shepherds  of  SaHsbury  Plain 

kneeling  on  one  side,  and  he  on  the  other,  they 
thrust  their  hands  into  the  water,  to  draw  out  the 
toad  and  to  cleanse  the  spring.  But  whilst  thus 
engaged,  groping  for  the  foul  reptile,  the  sun,  already 
risen,  shone  into  the  water. 

At  once  the  spring  became  turbid,  bubbles  rose  in 
it,  and  then  great  bursts  of  water,  so  that  Raymond 
and  Imogen  started  back  in  haste,  one  on  each  side. 

The  water  boiled  forth  with  fury,  great  spouts 
rose  into  the  air,  and  the  amount  was  so  great  that 
the  fountain  became  a  lake,  and  Imogen  and  Raymond 
had  even  to  step  farther  back  from  the  advancing 
waters. 

They  were  so  astonished,  they  hardly  thought 
what  to  do.  Then  Imogen  cried  out  that  the  wreath 
of  flowers  she  was  plaiting  was  carried  away  on  the 
water,  and  Raymond  exclaimed  that  his  pipe  was 
dancing  on  the  foaming  waves. 

Now  the  spring  broke  through  all  bounds  and 
the  volume  of  water  poured  forth  in  a  river,  and 
Imogen  ran  down  the  stream  on  one  side,  pursuing 
her  floating  garland,  and  Raymond  on  the  other 
side,  endeavouring  to  recover  his  pipe  that  was 
washed  away. 

But  presently  all  thought  of  garland  and  pipe  was 
gone  from  them,  for  they  saw  themselves  divided  by 
a  great  river  as  broad  as  the  Thames  ;  and  it  rushed 
along  at  a  great  rate. 

Raymond,  seeing  Imogen  crying  on  the  farther 
bank,  plunged  in  to  endeavour  to  cross  and  reach 
her,  but  the  flood  swept  him  off  his  feet  and  carried 
him  down.      Imogen  tore  her  hair  and  ran  on,  in  the 

171 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

utmost  terror,  which  was  only  allayed  when  she 
saw  her  dear  friend  scramble  ashore  on  the  farther 
bank. 

So  they  hasted  on  all  through  the  day.  At  last 
Imogen  became  alarmed  as  to  what  might  happen  to 
her  if  night  fell,  and  she  saw  a  tree  that  was 
uprooted  and  was  being  carried  down  by  the  current, 
and  she  threw  herself  among  the  branches,  in  the 
hopes  that  it  would  float  her  across  to  Raymond. 

Now  the  drifting  tree  went  into  the  midst  of  the 
rush  of  water,  and  was  swept  along  there,  without 
drawing  near  to  either  bank.  When  Raymond  saw 
this,  he  went  into  the  water  again  and  swam,  and 
did  not  desist  till  Imogen  held  out  her  hand  as 
he  approached  the  tree,  and  helped  him  up  into  the 
branches. 

By  this  time,  night  had  come  on.  The  sun  was 
set,  but  as  it  was  midsummer,  there  was  much  light 
in  the  sky ;  moreover,  the  moon  was  as  a  crescent  of 
the  colour  of  gold.  All  through  the  night  they 
were  swept  along,  till  they  heard  the  roar  of  the  sea, 
and  presently,  at  dawn,  beheld  the  rising  sun  flash 
on  the  foam  of  the  breakers  rolling  in. 

When  they  reached  the  spot  where  the  waves  met 
the  river,  then  they  were  tossed  about,  and  washed 
off  the  tree ;  but  they  would  not  let  go  each  other's 
hand,  and  the  blue  waves  carried  them  gently  and 
threw  them  up  on  the  sand.  They  were  so  exhausted 
as  to  be  insensible. 

When  they  opened  their  eyes,  the  fairy  Morgana 
stood  before  them.  She  reproached  them  for  their 
neglect  of  what  they  had   undertaken.      She  said  to 

172 


The  Shepherds  of  Salisbury  Plain 

them  :  "  My  children,  never  be  so  engrossed  in  your 
own  concerns  as  to  forget  the  duties  you  owe  to 
others.  That  is  one  lesson  I  hope  you  have  learned. 
But  there  is  another  I  wish  you  to  take  to  heart. 
When  difficulties  occur,  do  not  struggle  against 
them,  but  try  to  circumvent  them.  If  you  had  not 
been  foolish,  both  of  you,  and  thought  of  something 
else  except  your  wreath  and  pipe,  you  would  have 
gone  round  the  head  of  the  river,  which  might  have 
been  done  with  the  utmost  ease,  instead  of  running 
down  the  stream  and  then  endeavouring  to  stem 
the  current.  Most  difficulties  may  be  got  round  at 
their  source,  which  can  never  be  overpassed  if 
allowed  to  grow  in  volume.  That  is  the  second 
lesson.  And  now,  your  troubles  are  near  their  end. 
I  will  call  my  carriage  and  restore  you  to  where  you 
were." 

She  clapped  her  hands,  and  at  once  a  carriage  made 
ot  green  rushes  appeared,  drawn  by  a  thousand  field- 
mice.  She  insisted  on  Imogen  entering,  she  entered 
herself,  and  made  Raymond  sit  on  the  box  beside  an 
old  rat  who  was  coachman. 

So  they  drove  through  the  land  till  they  reached 
Salisbury  Plain,  till  they  arrived  at  the  house  of  the 
old  couple  with  whom  Imogen  had  lived,  and,  when 
they  arrived,  they  found  there  a  great  concourse  of 
people  with  horses  and  armour. 

The  Duke  of  Cornwall  was  dead,  and  the  people 
of  Duffeneth  had  risen  to  demand  their  own  duchess, 
and  had  sent  out  messengers  who  had  traced  her  in 
her  flight  to  the  cottage  by  Salisbury  Plain.  She 
was    now    clothed    in    magnificent    robes,   and    was 

173 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

mounted  on  a  dapple  grey,  but  she  insisted  on 
Raymond  accompanying  her.  She  returned  to 
Exeter,  where  she  was  proclaimed  duchess,  and  then 
she  married  Raymond. 

Soon  after,  she  lent  him  troops,  and  he  marched  to 
Wales,  and  speedily  recovered  his  own  principality. 

And  so  these  lovely  princes  both 

Each  other  did  befriend, 
Where,  after  many  a  hard  mishap, 

Their  lives  had  joyful  end. 

Note. — This  is  based  on  the  old  English  ballad  of  '*  The  Strange 
Lives  of  two  Young-  Princes  in  England,"  which  was  printed  in 
A  Collection  of  Old  Ballads^  17251  vol.  iii.  The  earlier  part  is  so 
distinctly  founded  on  the  story  of  Havelock  the  Dane  and  Argentile, 
that  I  have  somewhat  altered  it,  as  this  latter  story  is  given  in 
this  collection.  After  the  flight  of  the  damsel,  then  the  story  no 
longer  bears  any  resemblance  to  that  of  Havelock.  The  ballad 
as  it  comes  to  us  is  not  in  its  original  shape,  but  is  a  rewriting  of 
a  much  earlier  one,  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  or  James  I.  The 
collector  of  the  Old  Ballads  supposed  that  this  composition  was 
founded  on  the  story  of  Raymond  Fitzgerald,  the  conqueror  of 
Ireland,  who  married  Basilia,  sister  of  Richard  Strongbow,  in 
1 174.  But  there  is  nothing  save  the  name  to  favour  this 
hypothesis. 

All  the  portion  of  the  fairy  of  the  fountain  is  imported  into  it 
by  me  from  a  story  in  A  New  Collection  f  Fairy  Tales,  none  oj 
ivhich  were  ever  before  printed,  in  two  volumes,  London,  1750, 
It  is  somewhat  of  a  surprise  to  me  that  among  the  many  collec- 
tions of  modern  days,  this  curious  old  book  has  not  been  noticed 
and  stories  taken  from  it. 


1/4 


IX 


KING     HORN 


/5 


IX 

KING    HORN 


There  lived  in  times  long  gone  by,  a  king  of  the 
name  of  Murray,  and  he  ruled  over  the  Western 
Isles,  which  went  by  the  name  of  the  kingdom  of 
Sodor.  He  had  a  good  wife  and  a  little  son,  and 
the  name  of  this  son  was  Horn. 

Now  this  was  at  the  time  when  the  Norsemen 
sailed  round  the  coasts  of  England  and  Scotland 
and  Ireland,  plundering  and  burning  and  slaying. 

One  day  King  Murray  rode  out,  attended  by  two 
knights,  and,  when  he  came  to  the  beach,  he  found 
that  a  fleet  of  Vikings  had  just  arrived  and  disem- 
barked. Before  he  could  fly,  they  killed  him.  Then 
they  went  up  to  his  palace,  and  the  queen  had  but 
just  time  to  escape  in  the  confusion,  and  to  hide 
herself  in  a  cave  among  the  rocks. 

As  for  the  little  Prince  Horn,  he  was  out  at  the 
time,  playing  with  two  other  boys  of  his  own  age, 
whose  names  were  Athulf  and  Fikenhild. 

At  first  the  Norse  pirates  thought  they  would  kill 
Horn,  but,  instead  of  doing  this,  they  put  him  and 
12  177 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

his   two  companions    in   a  small   boat,  and   thrust  it 
out  to  sea. 

Then  the  sea  began  to  flow, 
And  Horn  child  to  row  ; 
And  the  sea  the  boat  did  sweep, 
Far,  far  out,  over  the  deep. 

The  three  boys  were  in  the  boat  all  night ;  they 
were  cold  and  hungry  and  frightened.  Happily,  no 
storm  arose.  They  knew  not  where  they  drifted. 
At  last,  day  dawned.  Athulf  and  Fikenhild  had  fallen 
asleep  with  crying  and  with  weariness.  Now,  as 
the  sky  began  to  lighten,  Horn  touched  his  com- 
panions, woke  them,  and  said — 

"  Friends  young-,  Hst  to  me, 
I  will  say  a  word  of  glee. 
I  hear  the  sweet  birds  sing, 
I  see  the  green  grass  spring." 

The  two  sleepers  sat  up  in  a  boat,  and  they  saw 
a  coast  not  far  off,  and  the  tide  was  carrying  them 
up  upon  the  yellow  sands. 

They  were  very  glad  now,  and,  with  their  hands 
in  the  water,  they  rowed,  for  they  had  no  oars,  and 
at  last  ran  ashore. 

Then  they  jumped  out,  and  Horn,  turning  to  the 
little  boat,  said — 

"  Ship,  by  the  sea  flood 
Days  have  thou  good. 
By  the  sea  brink, 
In  water  do  not  sink. 
If  to  Suderey  you  come, 
Greet  kin  at  home, 
Greet  the  queen  my  mother, 
And  of  friends  each  other." 

178 


King  Horn 

Then  he  thrust  the  httle  boat  from  land,  and  saw 
it  swim  away  on  the  falHng  tide. 

Horn  and  his  companions  walked  up  on  the  land, 
and  at  last  met  with  men  who  told  them  they  were 
come  into  Westerness,  which  may  have  been  Argyle. 
There  reigned  over  this  little  realm  a  king  called 
Aylmar,  and  he  received  the  three  boys  very  kindly, 
and  asked  whence  they  had  come. 

Horn  spoke  for  them  all,  and  told  his  story. 

Then  Aylmar  summoned  his  steward,  who  was 
named  Athelbert,  and  told  him  to  see  to  Horn  and 
his  comrades,  and  to  give  them  a  good  education, 
which  consisted  in  being  able  to  play  the  harp, 
carve  the  meat,  and  serve  the  wine.  This  is  what 
he  said — 

"You  must  teach  him  to  harp, 
With  his  nails  cut  sharp, 
Before  me  to  carve, 
And  of  the  cup  to  serve.  " 

So  time  passed,  and  Horn  and  his  companions 
grew  up  into  tall,  handsome  young  men. 

Now  the  king  had  got  a  daughter  named  Rymen- 
hild,  and  she  saw  Horn,  and  took  a  great  fancy  to 
him,  and  one  day  asked  Athelbert  to  contrive  that 
she  should  have  a  talk  with  him. 

xAthelbert  agreed,  but  he  was  somewhat  discon- 
certed, because  he  did  not  know  v/hether  the  king 
would  approve  of  it.  Horn  was  indeed  a  very  hand- 
some and  well-educated  youth,  but  his  kingdom  was 
spoiled  and  taken  possession  of  by  the  Norsemen, 
who  already  occupied    the    Orkney    Isles,  and    had 

1/9 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

tried  to  get  hold  of  Ireland.  However,  he  did  not 
like  to  refuse  the  princess,  and  so  he  contrived  that 
they  should  meet. 

Now  King  Aylmar  had  no  son,  so  that  Rymen- 
hild  was  his  heir.  She  told  Horn  that  she  loved 
him  dearly,  and  that  she  wished  him  to  plight  to 
her  his  word  that  he  would  marry  her  and  no  one 
else. 

Horn  replied  that  he  really  was  not  worthy  of 
such  an  honour,  but  that  he  would  consider  her  pro- 
posal after  he  had  been  dubbed  knight.  So  the 
princess  urged  the  steward  to  persuade  her  father  to 
make  Horn  a  knight. 

Athelbert  agreed  to  this,  and  he  went  before  the 
king,  and  represented  to  him  that  Horn  was  now 
of  age  to  receive  knighthood,  that  he  could  do  all 
that  was  required  of  a  knight  with  lance  and  sword, 
and  that  his  birth  was  royal,  and  he  was  entitled  to 
knighthood. 

Aylmar  consented  to  this :  he  called  for  Horn, 
and  thereupon  dubbed  him  knight. 

Now,  as  soon  as  Horn  had  been  knighted,  he  at 
once  proceeded  to  confer  knighthood  on  his  com- 
rades, Athulf  and  Fikenhild. 

Then  Horn  went  before  the  princess,  and  said 
that,  as  he  was  a  knight,  he  must  go  forth  on  his 
adventures,  and  show  that  he  was  worthy  of  the 
honour  he  had  received.  He  promised  that  if  he 
came  back,  he  w^ould  ask  for  her  hand. 

Then  she  gave  to  Horn  a  gold  ring  with  a  stone 
in  it,  and  on  the  stone  was  engraved  her  own  like- 
ness.     And   she   told   him   that  the  property  of  the 

1 80 


King  Horn 

ring  was  to  carry  him   safe  and   sound  through  all 
danger. 

Then  Horn  went  down  to  the  shore. 

He  arrived  most  opportunely,  for  just  then  a 
Norwegian  pirate  ship  had  run  up  to  the  shore. 

Horn  and  his  companions  at  once  fell  on  them, 
took  them  by  surprise,  routed  them,  and  he  cut  off 
the  head  of  their  leader,  and  came  back  to  the 
palace,  carrying  it  by  the  hair,  and  he  placed  it  on 
the  table  before  the  king. 

Now  it  must  be  told  that  Fikenhild  was  false  at 
heart,  and  he  had  whispered  into  the  king's  ear  that 
Horn  had  conceived  a  plan  of  poisoning  the  cup  he 
offered  the  king,  so  as  to  kill  him,  then  possess 
himself  of  Rymenhild,  and  ascend  the  throne  of 
Westerness. 

After  Horn  had  put  the  Viking's  head  on  the 
table,  he  went  to  Rymenhild  to  tell  her  what  he  had 
done.  He  found  her  in  tears,  and  this  was  what 
she  said  :  She  had  dreamt,  and  thought  she  had 
gone  out  fishing,  and  had  caught  a  fine  and  beautiful 
fish.      But  the  net  burst,  and  the  fish  fell  out. 

Horn  comforted  her  as  well  as  he  was  able,  and 
pledged  himself  to  be  good  and  true  to  her. 

Now,  Aylmar  believed  the  lying  tale  told  him  by 
Fikenhild,  and  he  drove  Horn  away  from  his 
presence,  and  bade  him  leave  the  realm. 

Before  Horn  departed,  he  bade  Athulf  remain  be- 
hind and   watch  over  Rymenhild,  and  see  that  none 
harmed  her,  and  he  promised   that  in  seven  years  he 
would  return  and  claim  Rymenhild  for  wife. 
Then  he  took  ship  and  departed. 
i8i 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

The  ship  sailed  west,  and  he  landed  in  Ireland, 
where  he  was  well  received  by  the  king,  whose  name 
was  Thorstan,  and  by  the  two  princes,  Harold  and 
Berild.  But  he  did  not  give  his  real  name,  he  called 
himself  Cutberd. 

Now  it  fell  out  that  at  Yule,  which  is  Christmas, 
there  came  a  Berserkr,  with  a  number  of  Northmen, 
and  he  defied  the  king  and  his  men  to  fight. 

But  Cutberd  stood  up  and  offered  to  take  the 
adventure  upon  him. 

This  the  king  reluctantly  allowed.  But,  in  fact, 
Horn  had  recognised  in  this  big  Berserkr  the  com- 
mander of  the  expedition  that  had  come  on  his 
father's  land,  and  had  killed  his  father. 

You  must  understand  what  these  Berserkrs  were. 
They  were  Northern  men  who  worked  themselves  up 
into  mad  fury,  when  foam  dropped  from  their 
mouths,  they  gnawed  the  tops  of  their  shields,  they 
had  in  their  madness  twice  the  strength  of  ordinary 
men,  and  believed  that  when  the  fit  was  on  them, 
no  steel  would  wound  them.  It  was  something  like 
possession  by  an  evil  spirit,  and  we  hear  a  good 
deal  about  it  in  old  Norse  history.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  these  Berserkrs  were  mad  at  the  time. 
When  the  fit  was  off  them,  they  were  so  exhausted, 
they  could  scarce  move  for  hours. 

Now  Horn  knew  the  man,  and  he  was  resolved 
to  avenge  his  father.  He  had  on  the  ring  given  him 
by  Rymenhild,  and  his  own  trusty  armour. 

Horn  now  fought  the  Berserkr,  and  after  a  furious 
onslaught  killed  him.  Then  the  Irishmen  rushed 
on  the  fellows  of  the  Norse  chief,  and   killed   them 

182 


King  Horn 

all ;  but  it  was  a  hard  fight,  and  the  pirates  behaved 
so  bravely,  and  made  such  a  stubborn  stand,  that 
the  two  princes,  Harold  and  Berild,  fell  in  the  fray. 

King  Thorstan  was  much  grieved  at  the  death  of 
his  sons,  and  he  now  offered  his  daughter  to  Cut- 
berd  to  be  his  wife.  But  Cutberd  said  he  could  not 
take  her,  as  he  had  promised  to  be  true  to  another 
fair  lady ;  but  he  undertook  to  remain  with  Thorstan 
for  seven  years,  to  help  him  against  his  enemies. 

Now  it  must  be  told  how  that  time  slipped  away, 
and  the  seven  years  were  nearly  at  an  end.  King 
Aylmar  had  resolved  to  have  his  daughter  married, 
and  had  looked  out  for  her  King  Modi  of  Rennes, 
in  Brittany,  who  had  come  all  the  long  distance  to 
seek  him  a  wife.  Rymenhild  had  refused  to  hear 
anything  of  him,  but  the  seven  years  were  nearly 
over,  and  her  father  was  greatly  set  on  the  marriage, 
and  she  hardly  knew  what  to  do.  Then  the  faithful 
Athulf  sent  messengers  in  all  directions  to  seek  Horn, 
and  to  tell  him  to  come  at  once,  and  deliver  Rymen- 
hild from  the  difficulties  in  which  she  was  placed. 

One  day  it  fell  out  that  Horn  was  hunting,  when 
he  met  a  little  foot-page  in  the  wood,  and  he  asked 
him  who  he  was  and  whence  he  came. 

The  little  page  said  he  had  been  sent  from 
Westerness  by  Athulf  to  bid  him  return  at  once,  as 
the  Princess  Rymenhild  was  about  to  be  married  to 
King  Modi. 

Horn  at  once  bade  the  boy  return  as  swiftly  as 
he  could,  and  say  he  would  arrive  next  Sunday 
morning. 

Unhappily,  whilst  the  little  foot-page  was  return- 

183 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

ing  by  ship,  a  storm  arose  and  wrecked  the  vessel, 
and  all  therein  were  drowned. 

Now  Rymenhild  watched  every  day,  expecting 
Horn  to  come,  and  at  last  reluctantly  she  had 
promised  her  father  that  if  he  did  not  arrive  on  the 
following  Sunday,  she  would  do  as  he  desired. 

Then  the  sand  washed  up  to  her  feet  the  body 
of  the  little  foot- page,  and  she  knew  he  had  been 
drowned,  and  she  greatly  feared  either  lest  he  should 
have  perished  on  his  way  to  Horn,  or,  worse  still, 
had  been  wrecked  along  with  Horn  on  his  way  back. 
Then  she  gave  herself  quite  up  to  despair. 

Horn,  nevertheless,  was  on  his  way.  When  he 
received  the  news,  he  went  before  King  Thorstan, 
and  told  him  both  who  he  was,  and  what  was  his 
present  need.  He  asked  him  to  let  him  have  some 
Irish  kernes  to  come  with  him  and  fight  for  him,  if 
there  were  need  to  fight. 

King  Thorstan  readily  assented,  and  speedily  Horn 
had  a  ship  made  ready,  and  entered  it  with  his  men, 
and  sailed  for  Westerness. 

He  was  much  detained  by  the  storm  in  which 
had  foundered  the  boat  of  the  foot-page.  But  at 
length  he  arrived  on  the  coast  of  Westerness,  and 
he  and  his  men  went  on  shore,  and  he  bade  them  all 
abide  hidden  in  a  wood  till  he  summoned  them. 

Then  he  went  forward  by  himself,  and  he  met  a 
palmer  coming  along  in  a  grey  suit,  with  his  cockle- 
shell and  his  long  staff. 

Horn  stood  before  the  palmer,  and  stayed  him, 
and  asked  him  what  news. 

The  palmer  said  that  there  was  great  news,  for 
184 


King  Horn 

that  day  the  king's  daughter,  the  Princess  Rymenhild, 
had  been  married  to  the  King  of  Brittany,  and  that 
there  was  to  be  a  great  feast  in  the  palace,  but  that 
all  told  how  sad  the  princess  was,  and  that  her  eyes 
were  red  with  tears. 

Then  Horn  asked  the  palmer  to  change  dresses 
with  him.  He  agreed,  and  Horn  went  on  his  way 
disguised,  and  he  took  berries  of  blaeberry,  and 
stained  his  face  and  hands,  that  none  might  know 
him.      So  he  went  to  the  king's  gate. 

He  came  to  the  gate-ward 

That  answered  him  full  hard. 

Horn  bade  him  undo  soft, 

Many  time  and  oft ; 

But  ne'er  could  he  win 

That  the  man  should  let  him  in. 

Horn  began  the  gate  to  turn 
And  the  latchet  unspurn. 
The  porter-boy — he  by  his  rig 
Horn  took  and  threw  over  the  brig, 
That  his  ribs  him  did  break,    i 
And  so  Horn  passed  the  gate. 

When  Horn  had  got  through  by  this  means,  he 
ranged  himself  among  the  beggars.  He  looked  out 
for  his  faithful  x\thulf,  but  could  not  see  him,  because 
Athulf  was  on  a  high  tower  looking  for  Horn  to  arrive 
with  his  men  ;  and  though  he  had  seen  the  palmer 
arrive,  it  had  not  struck  him  that  this  could  be  his 
dear  master. 

Presently  the  princess  came  down,  and  not  only 
were  her  eyes  red  with  weeping,  but  the  tears  were 
on  her  cheeks,  and  the  roses  had  faded  out  of  her  face. 

185 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

She  saw  the  beggars,  and,  full  of  gentle  com- 
passion, she  filled  a  great  silver-mounted  horn  with 
wine,  and  handed  it  to  the  beggars.  All  drank 
except  the  palmer,  who  sat  down  on  the  floor,  and 
held  out  his  bowl  of  rough  pottery.  The  ancient 
poet  says — 

Her  horn  she  laid  down 

And  filled  him  from  a  brown  (pitcher) 

His  bowl  that  held  a  gallon 

For  she  weened  he  was  a  glutton. 

Then  he  spoke  to  her,  and  said,  "  I  am  not  a 
beggar.  I  will  not  drink  wine  save  out  of  a  white 
mug.  I  am  a  fisherman,  and  my  nets  are  close  by. 
They  have  been  lying  in  the  sea  these  seven  years, 
and  I  am  come  to  see  if  a  fish  be  in  them." 

The  princess  was  much  surprised  at  what  he  said. 
She  was  more  surprised  when  he  said,  "  Come,  fair 
lady,  fill  up  the  horn  and  drink  the  health  of  Horn." 

She  put  the  silver-lipped  horn  to  her  mouth,  but 
she  so  trembled  that  she  spilled  the  wine.  Then 
she  stooped,  when  the  wine  was  spilled,  and  as  she 
stooped,  she  said  to  the  palmer,  "  Why  speak  you  of 
Horn  ?      Have  you  seen  him  ?  " 

Then  the  palmer  dropped  the  ring  in  the  wine, 
and  she  took  it  up  and  knew  it  again,  and  well-nigh 
fainted.  She  hastily  retired  among  her  maidens, 
to  her  bower,  and  sent  one  of  them  to  bring  the 
palmer  to  her. 

Now  Horn  came  in,  and  speedily  he  told  her  who 
he  was,  and  how  that  his  men  were  at  hand  in  a 
wood,  and  that  he  would  deliver  her  from  King  Modi. 

i86 


King  Horn 

Thereat  Rymenhild  was  right  joyous,  and  Horn 
went,  and  bade  her  send  Athulf  to  him  into  the 
wood.      And  she  did  so. 

Then    they    armed,    and     marched    towards    the 


castle  of  King  Aylmar,  and  blew  a  trumpet,  and 
Horn  proclaimed  who  he  was,  and  that  he  had  come 
to  demand  the  princess. 

Then  King  Modi  bade  his  men  arm,  and  the  gates 
be  thrown  open,  and  he  rushed  forth,  with  intent  to 

187 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

cut  to  pieces  both  Horn  and  his  men.  But  Horn 
and  his  Irishmen  made  a  good  fight,  and  the  end 
was  that  Modi  fell,  and  his  men  were  routed.  Horn 
pushed  on  into  the  palace,  and  appeared  before  King 
Aylmar,  and  told  him  all  the  story  of  his  acts,  and 
convinced  him  that  there  had  been  slanderous  accusa- 
tions made  against  him. 

Then  he  asked  King  Aylmar  to  let  him  have 
Rymenhild  for  wife,  but  said  that  he  had  no  purpose 
to  marry  her  till  he  had  reconquered  his  own 
kingdom  of  Sodor,  or  the  Sudereys. 

The  king  consented,  and  though  Rymenhild  was 
sorry  that  he  should  leave  so  soon,  yet  she  saw  that 
he  was  very  determined  to  marry  her  as  a  king  and 
not  as  an  outcast.  Before  he  departed,  Horn  was 
inclined  to  severely  punish  Fikenhild,  but  his  old 
comrade  fell  on  his  knees  before  him  and  entreated 
forgiveness,  and  swore  that  he  would  be  true  to  him 
evermore.  And  because  Horn  remembered  how 
they  had  been  playfellows  together,  and  how 
together  they  had  fared  in  the  open  boat,  he  was 
softened,  and  forgave  him. 

Horn  departed,  and  he  took  with  him  the  Irish 
kernes  lent  him  by  King  Thorstan,  and  he  had 
with  him  as  well  his  faithful  Athulf,  and  some  men 
from  Westerness,  who  were  glad  to  serve  under  him. 
When  Horn  landed  in  Sudderey,  he  found  a  man 
bound  to  a  tree,  and  he  asked  him  who  he  was. 
The  man  replied  that  he  was  a  knight,  and  had 
been  a  servant  of  King  Murray,  but  now  he  was 
badly  treated  by  the  Norsemen,  who  ruled  the 
isles.       Then    he    said    how   that    the    natives    were 

i88 


I 


King  Horn 

weary  of  the  Norsemen,  and  how  they  wondered 
that  Horn  did  not  return  to  claim  his  own. 

Horn  now  told  him  who  he  was,  and  wherefore 
he  had  come.  He  released  him  from  his  bonds, 
and  bade  him  go  about  and  tell  his  people  secretly 
to  be  ready  and  rise  suddenly  on  their  tyrants,  and 
he  would  be  with  them  to  aid  them. 

Now  all  happened  right  as  Horn  devised,  and  he 
was  able  to  slay  the  Northmen,  and  those  he  did 
not  slay  he  drove  out  of  his  father's  old  realm.  And 
now  there  was  great  rejoicing  in  the  isles,  and  Horn 
was  overjoyed  to  find  his  mother  still  alive,  in  the 
cave  in  which  she  had  concealed  herself  these  many 
years. 

In  the  meantime,  things  had  not  been  going  well 
with  Rymenhild.  It  must  be  told  that  at  the  time 
King  Aylmar  had  grown  old  and  childish,  and  for 
seven  years  Fikenhild  had  been  at  his  side  as 
counsellor,  and  had  gained  such  a  complete  mastery 
over  the  old  king,  that  he  could  make  him  think 
and  do  just  what  he  liked. 

Fikenhild  was  very  ill  pleased  at  the  return  of 
Horn,  and  at  his  own  humiliation,  and  he  was  not  at 
all  grateful  that  his  life  had  been  spared. 

He  began  now  to  scheme  how  he  might  take 
advantage  of  Horn's  absence ;  and  he  talked  to  the 
foolish  old  king,  and  turned  him  about  just  as  he 
wished.  Fikenhild  persuaded  the  king  that  Horn 
had  been  killed  by  the  Norsemen  in  Sudderey,  and 
that  the  Norse  were  coming  on  to  attack  the  kingdom 
of  Westerness. 

When  Aylmar  heard  this,  he  was  in  a  great  fright, 
189 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

and  he  asked  what  was  to  be  done.  Fikenhild 
answered  that  he  must  give  him  Rymenhild  as  wife, 
and  appoint  him  to  succeed  him  in  the  kingdom, 
then  the  people  would  rally  round  him  as  their 
future  sovereign,  and  fight  bravely,  under  his  leading, 
against  the  invaders. 

The  king  gave  his  consent ;  but  Rymenhild  would 
not  listen  to  a  word  Fikenhild  said.  She  would  not 
believe  that  Horn  was  dead. 

So  Fikenhild  built  a  strong  tower  by  the  sea,  which 
could  only  be  reached  at  low  tide,  and  he  carried  off 
the  princess  and  set  her  therein,  and  said  that  there 
she  should  remain  till  she  consented  to  marry  him. 

Now  one  night  Horn  had  a  dream  :  he  thought 
that  Rymenhild  was  on  a  rock  in  the  sea,  and  the 
tide  was  rising,  and  she  was  in  great  peril  of  being 
drowned,  and  she  stretched  forth  her  arms,  and  cried 
to  Horn  to  help  her. 

Next  morning  Horn  mounted  his  ship,  and  took 
his  companions  with  him,  and  sailed  for  Westerness, 
and  as  it  chanced,  as  they  neared,  they  saw  a  new 
white  tower  standing  in  the  sea.  Horn  greatly 
wondered,  because  this  tower  was  not  there  when  he 
departed,  so  he  ran  his  ships  under  the  walls,  and 
there  saw,  sitting  on  the  rocks,  a  man  who  was 
Athulfs  cousin.  Horn  told  who  he  was,  and  asked 
about  the  tower.  Then  he  learned  all  the  treachery 
of  Fikenhild. 

So  he  and  his  men  hastily  disguised  themselves 
as  harpers,  and  put  on  long  cloaks  over  their  armour. 
They  came  to  the  tower  door,  and  said  they  were  a 
party  of  minstrels,  and  asked  to  be  admitted. 

190 


King  Horn 

Rymenhild  bade  them  be  allowed  to  come  in ; 
and  Fikenhild's  men  made  no  demur,  for — 

Horn  said,  they  were  harpers 
And  some  were  g-'igerers  (fiddlers). 

Now,  when  they  came  into  the  hall,  Horn  took 
his  harp  and  sang  a  ballad,  and  the  ballad  was  the 
story  of  Rymenhild  and  her  sorrows,  and  the  burden 
of  every  verse  was  Rymenhild 's  wail  of- — 

' '  Well  -  a  wa}- !     Ah,  well  -  away  ! ' ' 

This  made  the  princess  weep  bitterly. 

Then,  all  at  once,  Horn  drew  his  fingers  across 
the  harp  with  a  mighty  clang,  threw  off  his  cloak, 
his  fellows  did  the  same,  and  they  drew  their  swords, 
and  were  speedily  masters  of  the  castle ;  and  as  it 
happened  that  Fikenhild  was  then  in  it,  they  had 
him  also  in  their  power.  He  was  ordered  to  be 
tied  to  the  tails  of  wild  horses  and  torn  to  pieces. 

And  now  not  much  more  remains  to  be  told. 

There  was  a  joyous  marriage  of  Horn  and 
Rymenhild,  and  after  that  Horn  went  back  to 
Ireland,  and  got  King  Thorstan  to  give  his  daughter 
to  the  faithful  Athulf.  Then  Horn  went  back  with 
his  wife  to  Sudderey. 

Note — The  old  English  lay  of  Horn  exists  in  three  MSS.,  one  in 
the  Cambridg-e  University  Library,  one  in  the  Bodleian,  and  one 
in  the  British  Museum.  It  is  a  very  early  tale,  for  it  was  translated 
from  Eng-lish  into  French  by  a  Norman  poet  of  the  reign  of 
Richard  I.,  and  the  French  lai  is  still  extant. 

There  is  no  historic  basis  for  this  story.  In  the  MSS.  the 
kingdom  of  Murray  is  Suddene,  which  I  venture  to  suppose  is 
Suderey  or  Sodor, — the  Hebrides  or  Western  Isles.     The  incident 

191 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

of  Horn  sitting  among  the  beggars  is  like  that  of  Cadwallo,  King 
of  the  Britons,  at  the  gate  of  Edwin,  King  of  Northumbria,  in 
Roger  of  Wendover ;  and,  in  a  measure,  is  Hke  that  of  the  return 
of  Ulysses. 

An  example  or  two  must  be  added  to  show  the  language  of  the 
original. 

He  dude  horn  inn  late 

Rigt  at  halle  gate, 

He  sette  him  on  the  benche 

His  harpe  for  to  clenche. 

He  makede  Rymenhilde  lay 

And  heo  (she)  maked  Walaway. 

Rymenhild  feol  yswoge  (swooning), 

Ne  was  there  none  that  louge  (kiughed), 

Hit  smot  to  homes  herte 

So  bitere  that  hit  smerte. 

The  lay  of  Horn  has  been  edited  by  J.  R.  Lumby  for  the  Early 
EnglishText  Society,"  1866. 


f 


192 


X 

HAVELOCK   AND    ARGENTILE 


13  193 


X 

HAVELOCK   AND   ARGENTILE 


There  was  once  in  Denmark  a  great  king  named 
Gunter,  and  he  had  a  wife  and  one  little  son,  who 
was  called  Havelock. 

Now  there  rose  up  war  in  Denmark,  a  great 
rebellion  broke  out,  and  the  castle  of  King  Gunter 
was  entered  and  set  on  fire,  and  the  king  was 
killed. 

The  nurse  of  little  Havelock  said  to  the  queen, 
"  Follow  me.  We  must  fly,  or  the  wicked  rebels 
will  kill  you  and  the  young  prince.  My  husband  is 
captain  of  a  ship,  and  he  is  now  in  harbour.  Let  us 
get  on  board,  and  he  will  spread  sail,  and  carry  us 
away  where  Prince  Havelock  can  be  kept  safely  till 
the  good  times  return." 

So  the  queen  consented,  and  fled  with  the  good 
woman  to  the  sea,  and  they  went  on  board.  The 
captain,  whose  name  was  Grim,  at  once  hoisted  sail, 
and  the  ship  flew  out  on  the  blue  sea. 

But  they  had  not  been  sailing  many  days  before 
195 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

a  pirate  vessel  hove  in  sight,  and  ran  alongside  of 
the  merchantman.  The  captain  and  all  his  crew 
fought  desperately,  and  drove  away  the  pirates. 
The  fight  had  been  so  furious  that  all  his  men  were 
killed  or  wounded.  By  the  greatest  piece  of  good 
luck  he  himself  escaped. 

The  terror  in  which  the  good  queen  was,  whilst 
the  battle  had  been  waged,  and  the  sense  of  her 
great  loss  in  the  death  of  her  dear  husband.  King 
Gunter,  and  of  the  kingdom  of  Denmark,  so  over- 
came her,  that  her  spirits  sank,  and  she  died  at 
sea.  Then  there  arose  a  dreadful  storm,  and  to 
save  the  vessel  the  captain  was  obliged  to  throw 
all  the  lading  into  the  sea.  He  could  hardly 
manage  the  ship  himself  alone — and  all  the  wounded 
sailors  died.  At  last  the  gale  drove  the  vessel 
as  a  wreck  upon  the  Lincolnshire  coast,  and  it  was 
stranded  at  the  place  afterwards  called  from  him, 
Grimsby. 

Then  the  captain  and  his  wife  came  on  shore,  and, 
forasmuch  as  they  were  without  means,  they  took 
the  wreck,  sawed  it  in  half,  and  turned  it  into  a 
house  by  the  side  of  the  sea.  Happily  the  little 
boat  belonging  to  the  ship  was  uninjured,  and  the 
captain  used  this  for  going  out  fishing.  Luck 
attended  him,  and  he  sold  his  fish  well.  What  he 
did  not  sell,  that  he  and  his  wife  and  the  little 
Havelock  ate.  The  fish  were  turbot,  salmon,  mullets, 
porpoises,  mackerel  in  great  plenty,  and  great  junks 
of  whale,  with  the  blubber. 

Now  the  nurse  was  a  skilful  cook,  and  she  dressed 
all    the    fish   that   they   ate   in   the  finest   and   most 

196 


Havelock  and  Argentile 

dainty  way,  and  little  Havelock  watched  her,  and 
soon  learned  to  cook  quite  as  well  as  she. 

As  the  nurse  and  her  husband  did  not  desire  that 
the  child  should  be  known,  they  did  not  call  him  by 
his  true  name,  but  always  Cueran  ;  and  he  grew  up 
to  believe  that  the  fisherman  and  his  wife  were  his 
father  and  mother,  and  he  had  no  thought  but  that 
Cueran  ^  was  his  right  name. 

In  time  the  fisherman  Grim  became  much  better 
off,  and,  instead  of  going  out  fishing,  he  became  a 
salt-merchant.  He  made  pans  and  put  sea-water 
in  them,  and  his  wife  lit  fires  under  the  pans,  and 
strained  the  water  away.  Then  there  was  left  in 
the  pans  only  beautiful  white  salt. 

The  good  man  and  his  wife  had  two  sons  of  their 
ovrn.  They  were  younger  than  Cueran,  and  they  loved 
him  and  sei'ved  him  as  an  elder  brother.  Cueran's 
supposed  father  and  mother  often  said  to  him,  "  Let 
no  one  ever  see  you  asleep ;  for  if  you  are  seen 
asleep,  great  mischief  may  come  of  it."  They  would 
not  allow  him  at  night  to  be  in  the  same  bedroom 
with  the  two  boys  of  their  own,  for  they  did  not  wish 
these  two  to  see  the  lad,  who,  they  thought,  was  their 
elder  brother,  when  he  was  asleep.  Why  that  was, 
that  you  shall  hear  presently. 

Now  the  salt-merchant  went  about  the  country 
selling  salt ;  but  at  home,  at  Grimsby,  his  wife 
minded  the  pans,  and  the  two  young  boys  kept  up 
the  fire  under  them.  In  order  that  they  might 
work,  they  must  eat,  so  Cueran  remained  in  the  old 
wrecked   ship   turned   into  a  house  and  cooked   the 

^  Cueran  in  the  old  British  tongue  means  a  scullion  or  cook. 
197 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

dinner,  and  his  nurse  used  to  say  that  he  surpassed 
her  in  cooking  just  as  a  king  surpasses  common  men 
and  the  rose  excels  the  daisy. 

It  happened  one  day  that  the  king  of  that  country 
came  to  Grimsby,  and  this  was  the  reason  of  his 
coming.  The  queen  had  run  short  of  salt,  and 
there  had  been  no  salt  in  the  palace  when  the  dinner 
was  cooked  one  day.  The  food  was  so  tasteless  that 
the  king  could  not  eat  it,  and  he  said,  "  If  you  can't 
put  in  salt,  put  in  something  else." 

Next  day  the  queen  put  soda  with  all  the  meat, 
into  all  the  puddings  and  pies ;  and  the  dinner  was 
so  nasty  that  the  king  pushed  his  dish  away,  and 
said  he  could  not  eat  it. 

Then  the  queen  said  he  must  go  to  Grimsby  and 
buy  her  salt  of  the  merchant  there. 

The  king  said  he  would  do  so.  He  rode  and  he 
rode  till  he  came  near  Grimsby,  and  as  he  drew  near, 
he  lifted  up  his  nose  and  said,  "  Good  !  good  !  "  for 
he  smelt  fried  herrings. 

He  had  not  gone  much  farther  before  he  sniffed 
again  and  said,  "  I  am  sure  they  are  cooking  turbot 
which  is  eaten  with  oyster  sauce." 

He  had  not  gone  farther  before  his  eyes  began  to 
twinkle  and  his  mouth  to  water,  and  he  said,  "  I 
would,  oh  I  would  that  I  had  some  of  that  whale 
blubber  I  smell  cooking  so  daintily  !  " 

Then  he  put  spurs  into  his  horse's  sides,  and 
galloped  till  he  came  to  the  cottage  on  the  beach 
made  out  of  the  old  wreck,  and  there  all  the  delicate 
smells  of  all  the  different  courses  that  were  being 
cooked  for  dinner  that  day  were  mingled  just  as   in 

198 


Havelock  and  Argentile 

pot-pourri  are  mingled  rose-leaves,  thyme,  bay  salt, 
orris  root,  and  lavender. 

The  king  jumped  off  his  horse,  went  in,  and  found 
that  Cueran  was  engaged  preparing  dinner  for  his 
father  and  mother  and  brothers.  The  king  was  very 
hungry  after  three  days'  fast — for  he  had  not  eaten 
anything  that  day,  nor  all  the  day  before  when  he 
had  refused  the  soda-seasoned  victuals,  nor  on  the 
day  before  that,  when  he  had  rejected  the  wholly 
unseasoned  meats. 

The  king  was  so  hungry  that  he  could  not  contain 
himself,  and  he  insisted  on  Cueran  dishing  up. 

And  then  he  sat  at  the  meal,  and  ate  up  every  one 
of  the  seven  courses,  and  even  the  entremets,  which 
were  scallops  and  winkles  and  a  mayonnaise  of 
lobster. 

Presently  the  merchant  and  his  wife  came  in  with 
their  sons,  and  the  king  said  he  had  come  for  salt, 
which  the  merchant  was  very  ready  to  sell.  Then 
he  said  he  positively  must  have  the  young  cook-lad, 
to  make  him  his  own  cook  in  the  royal  kitchen,  for 
the  cook  he  had  had  the  queen  had  dismissed  for 
impertinence  and  wasting  the  coals. 

The  merchant  and  his  wife  were  very  reluctant 
to  lose  their  dear  Cueran,  but  when  they  saw  that 
the  king  had  set  his  mind  on  it,  they  were  obliged 
to  consent;  but  they  made  two  conditions, —  one  was 
that  he  should  have  his  young  brothers  with  him  to 
serve  as  scullions,  and  the  other  that  he  should  have 
a  room  to  himself  in  which  to  sleep,  and  not  be  put 
into  the  common  dormitory. 

The  king  consented,  and  would  have  granted 
199 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

much  more,  had  they  asked  it,  so  eager  was  he  to 
secure  this  perfection  of  a  cook. 

So  Cueran  became  the  head  cook  in  the  palace  of 
the  King  of  Norfolk.  The  name  of  the  king  was 
Edelsi. 

Now  it  must  be  told  that  the  brother-in-law  of  the 
King  of  Norfolk  was  King  of  Essex,  and  had  his 
capital  at  Colchester.  His  name  was  Edelbert,  and 
he  had  married  Orwain,  the  sister  of  the  King  of 
Norfolk,  who  had  his  capital  at  Lindsey. 

The  King  of  Essex  died,  and  he  left  the  charge  of 
his  wife  and  his  daughter  Argentile,  and  of  his 
kingdom,  to  his  friend  and  brother-in-law  Edelsi. 

The  poor  Queen  Orwain  was  broken-hearted  at 
the  loss  of  her  husband,  and  she  lived  only  twenty 
days  after  him,  and  her  body  was  laid  beside  his  at 
Colchester. 

King  Edelsi  was  greedy  after  other  things  beside 
herrings,  turbot,  and  whale  blubber.  He  desired 
land  as  well.  When  King  Edelbert  was  dead,  he 
thought  he  would  annex  the  kingdom  of  Essex  to 
the  kingdom  of  Norfolk  and  Lincoln,  for  these  two 
counties  were  then  comprised  in  one  realm.  To  do 
this,  he  must  put  aside  his  niece  Argentile.  He  was 
not  so  wicked  as  to  think  of  killing  her.  He  thought 
it  would  be  quite  sufficient  if  he  married  her  to  the 
cook.  After  that,  no  one  would  think  of  making  a 
queen  of  her,  so  he  supposed. 

Argentile  arrived  at  the  court  at  Lindsey,  and  very 
little  was  made  of  her,  and  she  did  not  say  who  she 
was,  nor  did  the  king  declare  that  she  was  his  niece. 
He   told   his  wife,  the  queen,  that   she  was   a  young 

200 


Havelock  and  Argentile 

woman  he  had  hired  to  help  the  man  cook  in  his 
work ;  and,  to  make  sure  that  she  kept  the  place,  as 
kitchen-maids  in  those  days  were  very  flighty,  he  was 
resolved  to  marry  her  to  Cueran. 

Argentile  cried  much  when  she  heard  that  her 
uncle  was  going  thus  to  degrade  her.  She  entreated 
him  not  to  persevere  in  his  purpose,  but  he  would 
not  be  dissuaded,  and  the  marriage  took  place.  The 
king  took  care  there  should  be  plenty  of  witnesses, 
and  the  bridegroom  made  and  sugared  his  own 
bridecake.  All  went  well  for  some  time.  Cueran 
was  very  handsome  and  well  made  ;  he  had  a  beauti- 
ful face  and  beautiful  hands,  indeed  so  delicate  were 
his  fingers  that  he  had  but  to  touch  dough  with  the 
tips  of  them,  and  the  most  beautiful  puff  paste  was 
the  result.  He  was  also  very  strong,  and  if  anyone 
showed  himi  any  impertinence,  he  wrestled  with  him 
and  threw  him,  and  would  tie  his  arms  and  legs  with 
his  sash,  and  not  let  him  go  till  he  had  promised 
amendment.  The  king  and  the  knights  were  so  fond 
of  him  that  at  his  wedding  they  left  him  some  of  the 
cakes  and  puddings  and  tarts,  and  graciously  con- 
descended not  to  consume  all  his  wedding  cake. 
They  took  off  all  the  sugar  and  the  almond-paste, 
but  graciously  allowed  him  and  his  wife  to  eat  some 
of  the  dark  currant  substance. 

One  night  Argentile  awoke  from  a  dream  that  had 
troubled  her ;  and  she  touched  Cueran  so  as  to  wake 
him,  that  she  might  tell  him  her  dream.  Then  she 
was  greatly  frightened  and  astonished  to  see  a  flame 
issuing  from  his  mouth.  Presently  the  flame  danced 
on  to  the  floor,  ran  along,  passed  through  the  keyhole, 

20I 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

and  disappeared.  Argentile  was  dreadfully  alarmed. 
She  shook  her  husband,  but  he  was  as  one  senseless, 
she  could  not  wake  him.  At  last  she  saw  a  flame 
come  from  the  keyhole,  run  along  the  floor,  and  jump 
into  Cueran's  mouth  again.  Then  he  opened  his 
eyes  and  asked  what  she  wanted. 

She  told  him  what  she  had  seen — a  flame  in  his 
mouth  that  left  him,  and  was  away  for  an  hour,  and 
then  returned  to  him,  and  that  all  the  while  the 
flame  was  absent  he  was  as  one  dead. 

"  I  do  not  know  what  this  can  be,"  answered  the 
cook.  "  All  I  can  say  is,  that  in  dream  I  went  to 
Grimsby  to  see  my  father  and  mother.  When  I  got 
back,  I  felt  you  trying  to  rouse  me." 

"  That  which  I  desired  to  tell  you,"  said  Argentile, 
"  was  a  dream  I  had." 

"  Tell  it  me,"  said  Cueran ;  "  but  I  think  dreams 
are  often  great  nonsense." 

"  I  dreamed,"  said  Argentile,  "  that  there  was  a 
great  bear,  and  round  the  bear  were  many  little 
foxes.  Then  there  came  a  huge  boar,  and  it  rushed 
at  the  bear  and  gored  it  till  it  died,  and  when  it  was 
dead,  then  all  the  little  foxes  came  wagging  their 
tails  and  fawning  on  the  boar.  And  the  boar  went 
rooting  about  in  quest  of  you,  and  to  escape  it  you 
ran  up  into  a  tree,  and  then  the  sea  rose  and  washed 
the  tree  away  with  you  clinging  to  it,  and  threw  you 
up  on  our  shores.  Then  I  thought  you  pushed  the 
tree  back  into  the  water  and  got  on  it,  and  swam 
away,  and  landed  where  the  boar  was,  and  you 
fought  and  killed  the  boar,  and  then  all  the  foxes 
came  to  lick  your  hands." 

202 


Havelock  and  Argentile 

"  I  know  what  this  means,"  said  Cueran.  "  There 
has  been  a  great  hunt  to-day,  and  a  wild  boar  has 
been  killed  and  will  be  cooked  to-morrow.  I  shall 
cut  it  up." 


"  I  do  not  think  this  is  the  interpretation  of  the 
dream,"  said  the  princess  doubtfully.  "  What  does 
the  tree  mean  ?  " 

"  It  means  the  logs  that  will  burn  to  boil  the 
boar." 

203 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

"  And  the  sea  that  rose  ?  "  asked  Argentile. 

"  That  means  the  copper  boiling  in  which  the 
junks  of  boar-flesh  will  be  stewing." 

The  princess  was  not  satisfied. 

"  I  am  sure,"  she  said,  "  you  are  no  ordinary  man. 
Common  men  do  not  have  flames  in  their  mouths. 
I  wish  you  would  get  leave  to  go  and  visit  your 
father  and  mother  at  Grimsby,  and  take  me  and 
your  brothers  with  you." 

"  I  was  even  thinking  of  that,"  said  Cueran.  "  It 
is  but  right  that  they  should  see  their  daughter-in- 
law." 

So  next  day  Cueran  asked  leave  of  King  Edelsi 
to  go  to  Grimsby  and  show  his  bride  to  the  salt- 
merchant  and  his  wife. 

The  king  laughed  and  gave  his  consent. 

Then  Cueran  started,  and  he  took  with  him 
Argentile  and  the  two  scullion  boys. 

Now  they  were  very  well  received  by  the  old 
people,  who  were  delighted  with  their  new  daughter. 
And  when  Cueran  and  his  brothers  had  gone  to  see 
the  salt-pans,  she  said  to  the  old  man  and  woman, 
"  I  want  you  to  speak  to  me  the  truth,  and  tell  me 
who  my  husband  is.  If  you  will  do  that,  I  will  tell 
you  who  I  am.  When  he  is  asleep,  there  is  a  flame 
in  his  mouth,  and  when  he  dreams,  the  flame  travels 
about,  and  where  it  goes,  his  thoughts  go  also.  I 
am  sure  he  is  not  what  he  thinks  and  says,  any  more 
than  I  am  what  you  suppose  and  the  king  gave 
out." 

Then  the  old  couple  looked  at  each  other,  and 
presently  the  woman   said,  "  The  truth   must   come 

204 


Havelock  and  Argentile 

out.  It  is  true  that  Cueran  is  not  our  son.  He  is 
the  son  of  a  king  in  Denmark  who  is  dead,  and  he 
has  lost  his  inheritance." 

"  And  I,"  said  Argentile,  "  I  am  the  daughter  of 
the  King  of  the  East  Saxons,  and  am  deprived  of  my 
inheritance." 

Now,  when  the  young  men  came  in,  Argentile  was 
very  desirous  that  her  husband  should  sail  for 
Denmark  and  try  to  recover  his  kingdom,  for  now  she 
saw  what  her  dream  really  meant.  The  bear  was 
Cueran's  father,  the  foxes  were  the  lords  and  vassals. 
The  boar  was  the  upstart  king  who  reigned  in  his 
room.  The  tree  into  which  Cueran  climbed  was 
the  ship,  and  the  sea  had  really  carried  him  to  the 
Lincolnshire  shore.  Then,  surely,  the  dream  foretold 
that  he  would  regain  what  had  been  lost. 

Now  the  salt-merchant  and  his  wife  went  to  their 
chests,  and  they  brought  out  fine  clothes  that  had 
been  saved  from  the  wreck,  and  they  clothed  Cueran 
and  the  princess,  and  they  put  on  their  two  sons 
fitting  garments. 

They  bought  a  ship,  and  Cueran  sailed  away  in  it 
with  the  princess  and  with  the  two  young  men  as  his 
attendants. 

They  arrived  in  Denmark,  and  as  the  ship  was 
laden  with  merchandise,  they  unloaded  it,  and  Cueran 
and  his  wife  went  to  the  town  to  lodge. 

Now  in  that  town  lived  Sigurd,  who  had  been 
seneschal  to  King  Gunter,  and  had  amassed  great 
riches,  but,  after  the  fall  of  Gunter,  he  had  served  the 
new  king,  whose  name  was  Odulf.  But  so  also  had 
most    of   the  great  men    of   the    land,   even    as,  in 

2oq 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Argentile's  dream,  the  foxes  had  fawned  on  the  wild 
boar. 

As  it  fell  out,  Sigurd  invited  Cueran,  who  was 
Havelock,  to  stay  at  his  house. 

Now  it  was  told  King  Odulf  that  a  merchantman 
had  come  to  the  town  with  a  very  beautiful  wife,  so 
he  gave  orders  to  his  men  to  go  and  carry  off  this 
fair  wife.  He  would  see  her,  and,  if  she  was  as  fair 
as  was  said,  keep  her  for  himself,  as  his  own  wife  was 
dead,  and  cut  off  the  head  of  the  merchant. 

Then  one  evening,  when  all  were  at  supper  in  the 
house  of  Sigurd,  in  rushed  the  servants  of  King 
Odulf,  and  they  seized  on  Argentile,  and  tried  to 
carry  her  off.  But  Havelock  snatched  down  an  axe 
which  was  hanging  against  the  wall,  and  fell  on  those 
who  were  bearing  away  his  wife.  Yet  he  was  not  so 
speedy  but  that  Sigurd  was  wounded,  and  several  of 
his  men.  He  pursued  the  servants  of  the  kirrg^nto 
the  street.  Three  men  he  killed,  two  he  wounded  to 
the  death,  and  he  hewed  off  the  hand  of  the  man 
who  had  laid  hold  of  Argentile. 

Then  he  took  refuge  with  his  wife  and  his  servants 
in  a  church ;  and  he  shut  the  doors  and  ascended 
the  tower  and  rang  the  bells. 

The  King  of  Denmark  urged  on  his  men  to  besiege 
the  church,  to  kill  Cueran,  and  to  capture  Argentile. 
But  Havelock  and  his  foster-brothers  and  servants 
threw  down  stones  and  tiles,  and  defended  themselves 
valiantly,  and  the  king  called  off  his  men,  after  he 
had  lost  several  more. 

Now  Sigurd,  who,  though  wounded,  had  looked  on, 
was  much  perplexed  in  mind,  for  he  did  not  think  this 

206 


Havelock  and  Argentile 

young  man  could  be  a  merchant,  as  his  behaviour 
was  that  of  a  prince ;  moreover,  he  was  in  face  much 
Hke  his  old  master.  King  Gunter;  so,  when  the 
assault  had  ceased,  he  made  those  who  had  been 
besieged  in  the  church  come  to  his  mansion. 

When  they  were  there,  Sigurd  inquired  of  Cueran 
who  he  was,  what  his  name  might  be,  and  who  his 
companions  were.  Of  the  lady  he  asked  whence  she 
came,  and  who  were  her  parents. 

"  Sir,"  said  Cueran,  who  was  also  Havelock,  "  I 
know  not  who  I  am.  I  know  that  I  was  born  in 
this  country ;  a  mariner,  whose  name  was  Grim,  took 
me  away  when  an  infant.  When  on  the  high  seas 
we  were  attacked  by  pirates,  by  whom  we  were  badly 
treated.  Then  we  were  cast  by  a  storm  on  the 
coast  of  Lincoln,  at  a  place  called  Grimsby.  The 
good  man  to  whom  the  ship  belonged  and  his  wife 
nou^shed  me ;  much  they  regarded  and  tended  me. 
Then  I  went  and  served  a  king,  and  I  was  cook  in 
his  kitchen.  There  I  was  given  this  lady  to  be  my 
wife,  and  she  is  his  relation.  She  is  very  dear  to  me, 
and  I  am  very  much  beloved  by  her.  I  came  to  this 
country,  but  I  know  none  of  my  friends.  I  knew 
not  with  certainty  if  I  had  any  relatives  here.  When 
I  was  in  Denmark,  I  was  called  Havelock ;  when  in 
England,  I  am  called  Cueran.  You  may  call  me  as 
pleases  you,  by  one  name  or  the  other." 

Sigurd  stood  and  listened.  He  well  remembered 
the  son  of  Gunter,  and  he  knew  that  he  bore  that 
very  name  of  Havelock.  He  remembered  another 
circumstance — when  he  saw  him  in  his  cradle  as  an 
infant,  a   flame  came  out  of  his  mouth.      But  he  said 

207 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

nothing.  He  promised  to  set  guards  round  the 
house,  and  he  spread  the  report  that  the  merchant 
and  his  wife  had  retired  to  their  ship,  and  had  put 
out  to  sea. 

Now,  in  the  night,  when  Havelock  was  asleep, 
Sigurd  stole  into  the  bedroom  to  look,  and  there 
was  the  flame  playing  about  the  mouth  of  the  sleep- 
ing man.  Then  he  made  quite  sure  he  was  the  son 
of  his  old  master,  King  Gunter. 

Then  he  sent  for  his  people,  he  sent  for  his  knights, 
for  townsmen,  and  for  foot  soldiers.  Many  came 
from  all  parts.  When  he  had  assembled  a  large 
number,  he  went  to  speak  to  Havelock.  He  caused 
him  to  wash  and  eat.  He  had  him  dressed  in 
splendid  robes  of  cloth  of  silver,  and  he  brought  him 
into  the  hall.  When  Havelock  entered  the  hall  and 
saw  so  many  armed  men  assembled,  he  thought 
some  treachery  was  designed,  and  that  they  would 
fall  upon  him.  He  made  a  spring  at  an  axe  which 
a  youth  was  holding. 

Then  Sigurd  said,  ''  Do  not  fear,  my  friend.  I 
assure  you  I  love  you  more  than  I  did  yesterday 
when  you  were  sitting  at  my  table." 

Then  he  brought  forth  the  ivory  horn  of  King 
Gunter.  Under  heaven  there  had  never  yet  been  a 
knight  who  could  sound  this  horn,  and  it  was  said 
that  never  would  that  horn  sound  again  till  the  true 
king  of  Denmark  had  appeared.  The  upstart  King 
Odulf  had  often  tried  to  sound  the  horn,  but  had  as 
often  failed,  and  the  people  of  Denmark  knew  well 
that  therefore  he  was  not  their  right  king. 

Sigurd  now  took  the  horn  and  tried  to  sound. 
208 


Havelock  and  Argentile 

He  could  not  do  so ;  and  he  handed  it  to  a 
knight. 

"  Whoever  shall  blow  this  horn  that  it  sound," 
said  he,  "  I  will  give  a  golden  ring  that  is  worth  a 
castle.  He  who  shall  wear  that  ring  will  never  be 
drowned,  even  though  he  should  fall  into  the  sea  ; 
nor  will  he  be  burned,  even  though  he  should  fall 
into  the  fire.      That  is  what  is  said  of  the  ring." 

Everyone  now  pressed  forward  to  try  the  horn  ; 
but  none  could  sound  it,  much  or  little.  Then  they 
delivered  it  to  the  young  man  Havelock.  When  he 
held  it,  he  looked  at  it,  and  said  that  he  had  never 
blown  a  horn.  He  said,  "  I  will  let  it  be.  As  no  one 
else  can  sound  it,  and  some  are  great  knights  and 
mighty  huntsmen,  I  am  not  likely  to  succeed,  as  I 
am  but  a  cook." 

''No,"  said  Sigurd;  "you  also  must  put  the  horn 
to  your  mouth." 

"  Sir,"  said  Havelock,  "  to  please  you  I  will  do  it, 
though  I  am  sure  I  shall  fail." 

Then  he  took  up  the  horn  and  placed  it  against 
his  lips  ;  and  directly  the  horn  touched  his  lips,  it 
sounded  as  loud  and  shrilly  and  merrily  as  when  his 
father  blew  it.      And  all  were  greatly  astonished. 

Then  Sigurd  clasped  Havelock  in  his  arms. 
"  Now,"  said  he,  "  I  have  found  my  rightful  lord  ; 
now  I  have  him  whom  I  have  desired,  and  for  whom 
I  will  fight.  This  is  the  lawful  heir,  and  he  who 
should  wear  the  crown  of  gold." 

And  all  in  the  hall  swore  their  allegiance  and  did 
homage.  All  the  barons  of  the  kingdom  were  sent 
for,  and  when  they  heard  his  story,  and  how  he 
14  209 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

sounded  the  horn,  they  received  him  as  their  lord. 
When  this  was  done,  the  people  assembled.  In  four 
days  there  were  many  hundreds.  In  five  days  there 
were  thirty  thousand.  Then  they  defied  King 
Odulf;  and  there  was  a  battle  fought  on  a  plain. 
Havelock  gained  the  victory.  All  men  came  to  him, 
suing  for  pardon  and  swearing  fealty.  The  knights 
of  the  kingdom,  the  chief  men  and  townsmen,  made 
him  their  lord  and  king. 

Then  he  held  a  great  feast  and  merrymaking. 
He  afterwards  summoned  all  his  ships,  with  all  the 
power  of  the  realm. 

With  this  great  host  he  passed  the  sea,  and  defied 
King  Edelsi.  He  sent  him  word  that  he  challenged 
him  if  he  would  not  restore  the  rightful  inheritance 
of  his  wife. 

King  Edelsi  sent  back  answer  that  he  would  fight 
with  him ;  he  sent  him  all  the  saucepans,  and  kettles, 
and  toasting  forks,  and  ladles  out  of  the  palace 
kitchen,  and  said  that  these  were  the  weapons  suit- 
able for  a  cook. 

Then  a  great  battle  was  fought  that  lasted  till 
evening ;  and  many  men  on  both  sides  were  slain. 
Black  night  came  on,  and  settled  down  on  the 
combatants  ;  and  the  issue  of  the  battle  was  deferred 
till  the  next  day. 

Now,  by  the  counsel  of  Queen  Argentile,  a  thing 
was  done  that  proved  of  great  success.  Indeed,  as 
men  were  flocking  out  to  the  assistance  of  King 
Edelsi,  it  seemed  that  on  the  morrow  the  Danes 
would  be  outnumbered. 

During     the     night,    the    Danes,    by    Argentile's 

2IO 


Havelock  and  Argentile 

advice,  cut  down  trees  and  made  posts,  and  planted 
these  posts  in  long  rows.  Then  they  took  up  the 
bodies  of  the  dead  men,  the  soldiers  who  had  been 
slain  the  previous  day,  and  they  tied  them  to  the 
posts ;  and  they  armed  them  with  kitchen-ladles  and 
toasting-forks  and  cleavers,  and  some  had  cauldrons 
and  kettles  on  their  heads,  and  some  the  covers  of 
fish-kettles  on  their  arms  as  shields,  and  fish-slices 
as  swords  ;  in  a  word,  the  dead  men  were  all  erect, 
and  armed  with  the  spoils  of  the  kitchen  that  King 
Edelsi  had  sent  in  mockery. 

Then,  during  the  night.  King  Havelock  and  his 
men  decamped  from  their  former  position  and  made 
a  circuit,  and  came  to  the  rear  of  the  army  of  the 
English  men  of  Norfolk  and  Lincoln. 

Now,  when  the  sun  arose.  King  Edelsi  sent  spies 
to  observe  the  enemy. 

And  as  these  spies  drew  near,  they  were  filled 
with  terror,  for  they  saw  rank  on  rank  of  dead  men 
standing  up,  all  armed  with  kitchen  utensils.  They 
were  so  frightened,  that  they  ran  back  and  said  to 
King  Edelsi  that  all  the  dead  cooks  and  scullions  of 
every  age  from  the  creation  of  the  world  had  risen 
from  their  graves  to  fight  for  and  maintain  the 
right  of  the  only  cook  who,  in  all  the  course  of  the 
world's  history,  had  laid  claim  to  a  crown. 

Edelsi  was  uneasy,  but  he  bade  sound  the  advance, 
and  the  army  of  the  English  advanced. 

But  when  they  came  in  sight  of  the  host  of  dead 
men  prepared  to  meet  them  with  kitchen  utensils  as 
their  weapons  of  warfare,  their  hair  stood  on  end, 
and  they  trembled.     At  that  same  moment,  Havelock 

211 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

and  his  Danes  charged  from  the  rear,  and  the  dis- 
comfiture was  complete.  The  Norfolk  and  Lincoln 
men  threw  down  their  arms  and  sued  for  peace. 

All  the  kingdom  of  the  East  Saxons  was  restored 
to  Queen  Argentile. 

King  Havelock  held  a  great  festival  at  Colchester, 
and  received  the  homage  of  his  barons. 

King  Edelsi  only  lived  five  days  after  this.  Me 
had  no  heirs.  His  children  were  dead.  So  his 
nobles  willingly  agreed  that  Havelock  and  his  wife 
should  have  the  land  of  King  Edelsi.  So  he  had  it ; 
and  he  reigned  as  king  for  twenty  years ;  and 
nothing  more  is  recorded  in  English  history  of  the 
events  of  the  reign  of  King  Havelock,  save  that  he 
was  very  particular  about  his  victuals,  and  liked 
everything  sent  up  to  table  to  be  very  well  cooked ; 
for  indeed  he  knew  how  things  should  be  done, 
having  been  a  cook  himself.  And  Havelock  is 
believed  to  have  been  the  first  and  last  king  who 
had  been  a  cook. 

Note. — The  story  of  Havelock  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  of  our 
sagas,  so  ancient  that  it  has  passed  away  out  of  our  nurseries, 
and  has  been  clean  forgotten.  It  exists,  however,  in  several  ver- 
sions. The  old  English  lay  of  Havelock  is  one  of  the  few  poems  that 
have  happily  been  recovered,  after  having  long  been  given  up  as 
lost.  It  was  at  length  discovered  by  accident  in  a  manuscript  be- 
longing to  the  Bodleian  Library,  which  had  been  catalogued  as  a 
Collection  of  Lives  of  the  Saints.  It  was  edited  by  Sir  F.  Madden, 
in  1828,  for  the  Roxburghe  Club,  and  has  since  been  re-edited  by  the 
Rev.  Walter  W.  Skeat  for  the  Early  English  Text  Society,  1868.  A 
French  "  Lai  de  Aveloc"  exists,  which  was  composed  within  the  first 
half  of  the  twelfth  century.  The  story  was  abridged  by  Gaimar  in 
his  English  Chronicle,  and  he  wrote  between  1141  and  1151. 
There  are  numerous  other  references  to  the  tale  in  other  historians, 
all  of  which  will  be  found  in  Mr.  Skeat's  edition. 

212 


Havelock  and  Argentile 


The  story  varies  very  considerably  in  the  several  versions,  and 
Hav^elock's  wife  is  variously  called  Arg-entile  or  Goldburgh,  and 
the  several  kings  who  are  named  in  the  tale  also  differ. 

That  Havelock  was  an  historical  character  is  more  than 
probable,  and  Mr.  Skeat  fixes  his  date  as  somewhere  in  the  6th 
century.  Mr.  Haigh  in  his  Congiiest  of  Britain  by  the  Saxons, 
1861,  gives  these  dates  :  Havelock's  father  slain,  a.d.  4S7  ;  his 
expedition  to  Denmark,  a.d.  507  ;  his  reign  in  East  Anglia,  a.d. 
511-5.31  or  a  little  later.  The  story  was  converted  into  a  ballad  by 
Warner  in  his  Albion's  England,  published  in  1586 ;  or  what  is  more 
probable  is  that  he  took  a  current  ballad  and  rewrote  and  spoiled 
it.  That  was  what  rhymesters  did  at  that  period.  The  Scots 
preserved  the  early  ballads  intact,  our  English  rhymesters 
vulgarised  them  in  rewriting  them,  to  suit  the  false  taste  of  the 
day,  and  so  the  old  ballads  on  which  they  were  based  got 
lost. 

As  not  only  the  names  but  the  incidents  vary  in  the  several 
versions  of  the  tale,  I  have  rewritten  it ;  and  hope  sincerely  I 
have  not  done  what  I  am  complaining  that  the  ballad-mongers 
did  at  the  close  of  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  and  in  that  of  James  I.  ; 
but  if  so,  my  version  may  go  into  the  fire.  The  old  lays  have 
happily  been  preserved  and  published. 

Finally,  the  seal  of  the  town  of  Grimsby,  which  dates  from  the 
thirteenth  century,  represents  Grim  with  Havelock  on  one  side  of 
him  and  Goldburgh  (Argentile)  on  the  other. 

No  point  can  be  made  out  of  the  fact  of  the  hero  Sir  Henry 
Havelock  having  been  derived  from  Lincolnshire,  as  showing  more 
than  that  a  personal  name  continued  to  be  used  in  that  part  of 
England  and  was  adopted  as  a  surname,  and  there  is  no  more 
likelihood  of  blood  relationship  than  that  all  "Williams"  in  England 
should  be  lineal  descendants  of  William  the  Conqueror,  or  all  Peters 
and  Simons  should  be  the  offspring  of  the  chief  of  the  apostles. 


21 


XI 

THE    MAN    WITH    THE    BELL 


215 


XI 

THE    MAN   WITH    THE    BELL 


In  the  vale  of  the  Ouse,  long,  long  ago,  lived  a  great 
man  called  Buern  Buzecarle. 

One  day  he  was  sitting  feasting  in  his  hall,  when 
he  and  those  with  him  heard  a  little  bell  ring,  and 
straightway  through  the  door  came  an  old  blind 
man,  ringing  a  small  bell  he  held  in  his  hand. 

Now  there  was  a  bench  across  the  hall,  and  as 
the  old  man  came  in  direct,  he  fell  over  the  bench 
and  sprawled  on  the  floor. 

Thereat  Buern  Buzecarle  and  all  his  men  broke 
out  into  laughter. 

The  blind  man  picked  himself  up,  and  Buern 
bade  his  servants  give  him  some  meat  off  the  table, 
and  some  ale  from  their  drinking  horns. 

The  blind  man  said,  "  Buern  Buzecarle,  shall  I 
say  what  I  see  ?  " 

"  Then,"  said  Buern,  "  you  will  keep  silence,  for 
you  see  nothing." 

"  I  see,"  said  the  blind  man,  *'  that  you  are  going 
217 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

a  far  journey,  to  lose  the  Pearl  of  Humber.  And 
then,  because  you  have  lost  the  pearl,  you  will  throw 
away  everything  else  you  have,  the  box  in  which 
was  the  pearl,  and  the  chamber  in  which  was  the 
box,  and  the  house  in  which  was  the  chamber,  and 
the  land  on  which  was  the  house,  and  Northumbria 
in  which  is  your  land." 

"  You  see  this,  do  you  ?  "  asked  Buern,  laughing. 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  answered  the  blind  man. 

"If  you  could  not  see  the  bench  that  was  before 
your  nose,  how  can  you  foresee  that  which  may  never 
come  to  pass." 

"  The  blind  can  see  what  is  hid  from  seeing  eyes," 
answered  the  man  with  the  bell,  "  and  the  seeing 
eyes  discern  that  to  which  the  dark  eyes  are  blind." 

Now  Buern  Buzecarle  had  got  a  pearl,  the  finest 
pearl  that  ever  was  seen.  It  had  been  got  out  of 
the  Humber,  and  it  was  as  large  as  a  hen's  egg,  and 
it  shone  like  the  moon  in  the  dark.  Nothing  that 
Buern  had  got  did  he  value  so  highly  as  the  Pearl  of 
Humber ;  for  other  men  had  houses  and  lands,  and 
horses  and  hawks,  and  servants,  but  he  alone  in  all 
England  had  the  pearl. 

That  was  quite  true  which  the  man  with  the  bell 
had  said,  even  that  he  was  going  away. 

He  was  going  to  Germany  about  merchandise. 
What  the  blind  man  had  said  stuck  in  his  thoughts, 
and  he  put  away  the  pearl  in  a  strong  iron  case,  and 
the  case  he  put  in  a  strong  stone  chamber  at  the 
bottom  of  the  tower,  and  he  gave  the  three  keys  to 
his  wife,  that  she  should  keep  the  pearl  safe  whilst 
he  was   away.      But  he  did   more.      On   top   of  the 

218 


The  Man  with  the  Bell 

box  he  set  an  iron  cock,  and  if  anyone  touched  the 
box,  the  cock  would  peck  out  his  eyes.  And  in 
front  of  the  chamber  he  set  an  iron  dog  with  steel 
teeth,  and  if  anyone  came  to  the  door  the  dog  would 
bite  his  legs   and  crush  the  bones.      And   in   front  of 


the  tower  he  set  an  iron  man,  so  that  if  anyone  came 
to  the  tower,  the  iron  man  would  swing  about  a  great 
mace  set  with  steel  knives,  and  would  pound  and  cut 
the  intruder  to  pieces. 

Then  the  wife  of  Buern    Buzecarle  said   to   him, 
"  But  how  will  you  be  able  to  get  to  the  pearl  when 

219 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

you  want  it?  Will  not  the  iron  man  beat  and  cut 
you  ?  And  if  you  escape  the  iron  man,  will  not  the 
dog  crunch  your  leg  bones  ?  And  if  you  escape  the 
iron  dog,  will  not  the  iron  cock  peck  out  your  eyes  ?  " 

Then  her  husband  said,  "  No,  because  I  know  the 
secret  how  to  make  them  all  still." 

"  What  is  that  secret  ?  "  asked  his  wife. 

"  Nay,  if  I  tell  you,  you  will  tell  others." 

"  Indeed  I  will  not.  I  see  you  do  not  love  me, 
that  you  keep  this  secret  from  me." 

So  Buern  told  her. 

Now  Buern  went  on  board  ship  and  sailed  away 
from  England. 

At  this  time  the  King  of  Northumbria  was  called 
Osbrith.  Northumbria  was  at  that  time  a  very  great 
kingdom  ;  it  reached  from  the  Humber  to  the  Firth 
of  Forth,  and  the  capital  city  was  York.  There 
King  Osbrith  held  his  court. 

Osbrith  was  a  very  proud  man,  and  he  bade  a 
goldsmith  make  him  a  crown,  for  he  desired  to  be 
crowned  king  in  York  Minster.  He  gave  the  gold- 
smith all  kinds  of  jewels  to  set  in  the  crown. 

The  man  said  that  he  wanted  one  for  the  top 
that  would  be  larger  than,  and  would  outshine,  the 
rest.      But  the  king  had  no  more. 

Then  the  goldsmith  said,  "  It  is  a  pity  that  the 
king  has  not  Buern's  Pearl  of  the  Humber,  for  that 
would  suit  the  crown  admirably,  and  be  a  very  crown 
of  beauty  to  the  crown  itself." 

When  Osbrith  heard  this,  he  considered  within 
himself  and  said  that,  as  the  pearl  came  out  of  the 
Humber,  it  ought  to  belong  to  him  ;   and  that  it  was 

220 


The  Man  with  the  Bell 

not  right  that  one  of  his  men  should  have  a  finer 
jewel  than  himself,  their  king. 

So  he  sent  to  Buern's  house  to  bid  him  come  to 
him  at  York.      But  Buern  was  away. 

Then  the  king  considered  that  he  must  have  the 
pearl  shortly,  for  he  was  soon  to  be  crowned,  and  he 
would  be  ashamed  to  have  the  crown  put  on  his 
head  without  a  goodly  jewel  at  the  top ;  and  no 
other  jewel  would  do  for  him  but  the  pearl  that 
Buern  possessed. 

So  he  sent  messages  to  the  wife  of  Buern 
Buzecarle  to  say  that  he  would  buy  the  pearl. 

She  sent  back  word  that  she  could  not  sell  it,  as 
her  husband  valued  it  above  all  he  possessed. 

Then  the  king  sent  men  to  take  the  pearl.  But 
they  came  back  and  said  it  was  fast  behind  three 
keys,  and  that  the  lady  kept  the  keys,  and  could  in 
no  way  be  persuaded  to  give  them  up. 

The  king  was  very  angry,  and  he  rode  himself 
into  Ousedale  to  see  Buern's  lady. 

And  when  he  saw  her,  he  asked  for  the  keys. 
She  refused  them  to  the  king.  Then  he  ordered  his 
men  to  bring  in  a  block  and  an  axe,  and  he  said  he 
would  have  her  head  cut  off  unless  she  surrendered 
the  keys. 

You  may  be  sure  she  was  in  a  dreadful  fright, 
and  she  gave  the  three  keys  to  the  king. 

Now,  when  Osbrith  and  his  men  came  to  the 
tower,  they  saw  that  they  were  not  advanced  greatly, 
for  at  the  tower  gate  stood  the  iron  man,  and  he 
swung  about  his  mace  set  with  steel  knives,  and  no 
one  could  come  near  to  the  door. 

221 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Osbrith  was  very  angry,  and  he  returned  to  the 
lady,  and  he  said,  "  Make  a  great  fire  in  the  kitchen, 
and  tie  the  lady  to  the  spit,  and  turn  her  round  and 
round  and  roast  her  till  she  tells  me  how  we  may 
get  into  the  tower,  past  the  iron  man." 

So  the  servants  bound  the  lady,  and  tied  her  to 
the  spit,  and  made  the  spit  turn  before  a  roaring  fire. 
First  it  singed  her  silken  dress.  Then  the  fire  singed 
her  hair,  and  when  it  began  to  burn  her  flesh,  she 
screamed  that  she  would  tell. 

They  unbound  her,  and  she  said  :  "If  you  would 
pass  the  iron  man,  you  must  roll  up  to  him  a  barrel 
of  tallow  and  a  ball  of  tow." 

This,  accordingly,  the  king's  men  did,  and  the 
iron  man  beat  about  with  his  iron  mace,  and  first  he 
struck  into  the  barrel,  and  all  the  tallow  came  out 
and  got  about  his  mace,  and  then  he  struck  at  the 
ball  of  tow,  and  the  tow  came  out  and  became 
tangled  in  the  knives  and  spikes  of  his  mace,  and, 
because  of  the  tallow,  stuck  to  them  ;  and  when  he 
swung  his  arm,  the  tow  came  after  the  mace,  and  he 
banged  again  at  the  barrel,  and  more  tallow  came, 
and  then  next  at  the  ball,  and  more  tow  came,  and 
ever  the  tangle  of  tallow  and  tow  became  thicker 
about  his  mace,  till  at  last  it  made  a  great  ball  like  a 
huge  silkworm's  cocoon,  and  could  do  no  man  any 
harm  whom  it  touched. 

Now,  when  the  king  and  his  men  saw  this,  they 
rushed  to  the  door,  and  thrust  over  the  iron  man 
with  his  muffled  mace,  and  put  the  key  to  the  lock 
and  entered. 

Then  they  reached  the  chamber  door,  before  which 


The  Man  with  the  Bell 

lay  the  iron  dog.  It  got  up  and  snarled,  and  showed 
its  steel  teeth,  so  that  no  man  might  come  near. 

The  king  went  back  to  the  house,  and  he  ordered 
all  the  cobwebs  in  the  country  round  to  be  collected, 
and  he  had  the  lady  wrapped  up  in  them,  and  he 
said  she  should  be  tickled  to  death  by  spiders, 
unless  she  told  him  how  he  could  pass  the  iron  dog. 

She  bore  the  discomfort  for  a  while.  First  the 
spiders  ran  about  in  her  hair.  Then  they  ran  over 
her  hands.  But  when  one  ran  to  catch  a  fly  across 
her  lips,  she  screamed  out  that  she  would  tell.  So 
the  king's  servants  took  off  the  cobwebs  and  set  her 
free. 

Then  she  said,  "  My  sister  at  Ripon  has  got  a 
cook  who  is  so  clever  that  whatever  she  cooks  she 
turns  to  leather,  that  no  one  can  eat  it.  Get  this 
cook  to  make  a  beefsteak  pudding  and  throw  it  to 
the  dog." 

Thereupon  Osbrith  sent  for  the  accomplished 
cook  who  was  at  Ripon,  and  who  was  so  clever  as  to 
cook  food  that  was  good  in  such  a  manner  that 
nobody  could  eat  it. 

She  arrived  with  a  herald  blowing  a  trumpet 
before  her,  and  everyone  watched  whilst  she  made  a 
beefsteak  pudding. 

Now,  when  the  pudding  was  done,  it  was  carried 
into  the  tower  and  thrown  before  the  iron  dog.  The 
dog  snapped  at  it,  and  his  teeth  went  in  through  the 
dough  that  was  heavy  as  lead,  into  the  meat  that 
was  tough  as  leather,  and  he  could  not  withdraw 
them.  He  tumbled  about  with  his  mouth  shut  on 
the   inedible  beefsteak  pudding,  and  was  thenceforth 

223 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

harmless.  So  the  king  and  his  men  passed  the  dog 
and  unlocked  the  chamber  door,  and  they  saw  within 
the  casket  in  which  was  the  pearl,  and  on  it  stood  an 
iron  cock  ready  to  peck  out  the  eyes  of  anyone  who 
drew  near. 

When  the  king  saw  this,  he  went  back  to  the 
house,  and  he  said,  "  Throw  the  lady  into  the  eel- 
pond,  and  let  her  remain  there  till  she  tells  me  how 
to  prevent  the  cock  from  pecking." 

Accordingly  the  lady  was  cast  into  the  pond,  and 
the  eels  began  to  wriggle  about  her.  One  crawled 
up  her  sleeve.  Then  one  wound  round  her  throat. 
But  when  another  tried  to  get  in  at  her  ear,  so  as  to 
crawl  through  her  head  and  out  at  the  other,  she 
screamed  out  that  she  would  tell. 

So  King  Osbrith  drew  her  from  the  pond ;  and 
she  stood  shivering  and  dripping  before  him,  and 
said,  "  The  cock  only  pecks  because  he  is  not 
himself  henpecked.  At  Scarborough  is  a  hen  with 
an  adamantine  beak,  that  is  crooked.  Send  for  that 
hen,  and  all  your  trouble  about  the  cock  will  be  at 
an  end." 

Then  King  Osbrith  sent  to  Scarborough,  and  the 
hen  with  the  crooked  adamantine  beak  was  brought. 
And  as  soon  as  she  entered  the  house,  the  cock 
began  to  crow.  And  when  she  was  brought  into 
the  chamber,  she  flew  to  the  top  of  the  box,  and  for 
a  while  the  king  was  quite  disappointed,  because  the 
cock  began  to  plume  her  wings,  and  she  to  rub  her 
beak  against  his,  and  Osbrith  did  not  think  that  he 
would  get  at  the  lock.  But  this  fondling  continued 
only  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  sharp  came  a   little 

224 


The  Man  with  the  Bell 

peck  from  the  hen.  The  cock  gave  a  discontented 
crow,  and  then  the  hen  pecked  again  and  again. 
She  hopped  about  the  cock,  and  pecked  his  neck 
and  his  comb  and  under  his  wings,  wherever  she 
thought  her  beak  could  give  most  pain.  She  had  a 
wonderful  insight  as  to  what  were  his  most  sensitive 
parts.  Then  the  iron  cock  danced  about  in  torture, 
and  had  no  thoughts  for  anything  but  how  he  might 
protect  himself  from  the  pecks  of  the  hen.  Rust 
came  out  all  over  him — which  is  the  blood  of  iron — 
and  ran  in  streams  from  his  heart,  where  the  beak  of 
the  hen  struck  deepest. 

Then  the  king  got  to  the  lock,  turned  the  key, 
and  carried  off  the  pearl,  and  had  it  set  in  his  crown, 
and  wore  it  when  crowned  in  York  Minster. 

But  the  lady  mourned  much  over  the  loss  of  the 
pearl,  and  she  became  quite  colourless  from  the  grief 
the  loss  caused  her. 

This  was  certain  to  be  seen  by  her  husband  Buern 
on  his  return,  who  was  very  noble  and  gentle. 
Amidst  all  the  merchants  who  traversed  the  sea,  the 
king  had  not  a  better  vassal ;  nor  was  there  in  the 
kingdom  in  which  he  was  born  one  better  descended. 

When  he  returned,  he  wondered  much  to  see  his 
wife  pale  and  feeble  and  thin,  and  to  find  her  quite 
changed  from  what  she  was  when  he  left  her.  He 
asked  what  had  occurred,  what  her  wan  looks  meant, 
and  what  had  happened  to  her. 

She  replied  to  him,  "  I  will  tell  you,  and  will  even 
accuse  myself;  then  administer  to  me  the  same  justice 
which  would  be  given  to  a  robber  if  he  were  taken." 

He  said  to  her,  "  What  has  happened  ?  " 
15  225 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

She  said,  "  The  other  day  the  king  came  here,  and 
he  demanded  the  Pearl  of  Humber,  and  I  told  him 
where  it  was,  and  gave  him  up  the  keys,  and  told 
him  how  to  make  harmless  the  iron  man,  and  the 
iron  dog,  and  the  iron  cock." 

Then  Buern  said,  "  I  know  very  well  that  you  did 
none  of  this  willingly." 

Then  she  told  him  all — how  she  had  been  roasted, 
and  how  she  had  been  covered  with  cobwebs,  and 
how  she  had  been  thrown  into  the  eel-pond.  And 
when  she  had  done,  she  fell  at  his  feet  and  said, 
"  I  am  ready  to  die.      I  would  rather  die  than  live." 

He  said,  "  Rise,  my  beloved.  You  shall  not  be 
hated  for  this.  Feebleness  could  do  nothing  against 
force.  There  is  a  very  goodly  disposition  in  you.  As 
you  have  first  revealed  this  to  me,  I  shall  pity  you 
greatly ;  but  if  you  had  concealed  it  from  me,  so 
that  another  had  discovered  it  to  me,  never  would 
my  heart  have  loved  you,  nor  my  lips  have  kissed 
you.  Since,  however,  the  king  has  behaved  as  a 
common  felon,  he  shall  suffer  as  a  felon." 

Next  morning  he  rode  to  York. 

He  found  the  king  amongst  his  people.  Buern 
had  many  powerful  relations  there. 

The  king  saw  him  and  saluted  him.  But  Buern 
threw  his  glove  in  his  face  and  said,  "  I  defy  thee, 
and  I  restore  thee  all  the  land  thou  didst  give  to  me, 
and  all  the  honour  thou  didst  confer  on  me ;  and 
here  I  return  to  thee  all  the  homage  due  for  land 
and  honour." 

With  this  he  went  to  his  house,  and  many  noble 
barons  accompanied  him. 

226 


The  Man  with  the  Bell 

Then  he  held  a  council  with  his  kinsfolk  and 
friends,  and  told  them  how  the  king,  like  a  common 
felon,  had  broken  into  his  house  whilst  he  was 
away,  and  had  robbed  him  of  the  Pearl  of  the 
Humber. 

They  advised  that  he  should  demand  it  back 
again  from  the  king. 

But  when  Osbrith  heard  that  Buern  asked  to  have 
the  jewel  restored,  he  scoffed,  and  said,  "  Shall  I 
despoil  my  crown  of  its  finest  jewel  for  this  merchant 
fellow  ?  " 

Then  it  was  that  Buern,  with  wrath  in  his  heart, 
mounted  his  ship  and  sailed  to  Denmark,  and  invited 
the  Danes  to  come  and  avenge  his  great  wrong. 

Whilst  he  was  away,  Osbrith  so  oppressed  the 
people  that  many  of  them  left  him,  and  they  set 
up  a  brave  man,  Ella,  to  be  their  king,  and  Osbrith 
was  followed  by  a  very  few,  but  he  remained  in 
possession  of  York. 

Now  the  Danes,  when  they  landed,  arrived  at 
Cawood,  near  York,  and  other  ships  ran  ashore  in 
Holderness.  They  swarmed  over  the  country, 
pillaging  and  spoiling,  and  there  was  a  battle  fought 
near  York,  and  the  English  were  defeated,  and  King 
Osbrith  was  slain. 

Then  Buern  Buzecarl  said  to  the  Danes,  "  You 
have  avenged  my  wrong  ;   return  to  your  own  homes." 

But  they  laughed  him  in  the  face,  and  answered, 
"  We  hearkened  to  your  call.  We  are  deaf  to  what 
you  now  say.  We  shall  go  when  we  like — and 
perhaps  not  go  at  all." 

Then  Buern  remembered  what  the  blind  man 
227 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

with    the    little    bell    had    said,    and    he    was    very 
sorrowful. 

Now  it  happened  one  day,  about  this  very  time, 
that  King  Ella  was  hunting,  and  he  had  been  very 
successful,  he  had  killed  four  wild  white  oxen. 

He  was  seated  in  his  hall  at  dinner  after  the 
chase,  when  he  heard  a  bell  ring,  and  there  came  in 
at  the  door  a  blind  man,  and  in  his  hand  was  a  bell, 
and  this  he  rang  as  he  walked  along. 

The  king  bade  him  come  forward  and  have  meat 
from  the  dishes  and  ale  from  the  horns.  So  the 
blind  man  began  to  eat  and  drink. 

Whilst  he  was  eating  and  drinking,  King  Ella  said 
to  one  of  his  knights,  "  We  have  done  well  to-day ; 
we  have  slain  four  wild  oxen  and  six  deer.  Many 
a  time  have  we  had  worse  sport." 

The  blind  man,  who  sat  at  a  distance,  heard  him  ; 
then  he  stood  up  and  said,  "If  you  have  taken  so 
much  in  the  wood,  you  have  lost  more  in  the  land. 
The  Danes  have  been  hunting ;  they  have  taken 
York,  they  have  killed  many  barons,  and  Osbrith  is 
slain." 

Ella  said,  "  How  can  you  know  that  ?  " 

The  man  with  the  bell  said,  "  The  blind  can  see  in 
some  things  farther  than  the  seeing." 

"  I  will  not  believe  this  without  some  token." 

"  This  is  the  token,"  answered  the  blind  man  : 
"  the  horn  in  your  hand  shall  spill  all  its  contents, 
and  the  ring  on  your  finger  fall  into  your  plate,  and 
the  crown  on  your  head  lie  low  on  the  floor." 

When  he  had  said  that,  the  horn  split  from  end  to 
end,  and  all  the  wine  in   it  was   poured   out,  red   as 

228 


The  Man  with  the  Bell 

blood,  on  the  table.  Also  the  king's  gold  ring 
snapped  in  twain  ;  and,  as  he  started  up,  his  crown 
fell  off  and  rolled  away  on  the  floor. 

Then  said  the  bHnd  man,  "  I  can  see  what  is 
going  on  afar,  and  I  can  also  see  what  must  come  to 
pass.  There  will  be  a  great  battle,  which  you  will 
lose,  and  in  it  will  go  your  crown  and  your  life. 
Therefore,  if  you  will  be  advised,  go  not  into  it." 

"  Give  me  also  a  token  that  this  is  true,"  said 
Ella. 

Then  said  the  blind  man,  "  Orn,  the  son  of  my 
sister,  who  attends  on  me,  and  stands  now  behind  me, 
will  be  the  first  to  die  in  the  great  battle  which  will 
lose  you  kingdom,  crown,  and  life." 

"  I  can  easily  make  sure  that  this  does  not  come 
to  pass,"  said  Ella,  and  he  bade  his  guards  take  the 
young  man  Orn  and  shut  him  up  in  a  high  tower, 
and  not  allow  him  to  leave  it,  but  to  retain  him  till 
his  return  from  fighting  against  the  Danes. 

Then  he  said  to  the  blind  man  with  the  bell,  "If 
I  come  back  victorious,  then  I  will  have  you  hung." 

"  I  am  content,"  said  the  blind  man.  "  But  I  see 
very  well  that  I  shall  not  die  on  the  gallows." 

Now  news  soon  arrived  that  York  had  been 
captured  by  the  Danes,  and  that  King  Osbrith  was 
dead  as  the  blind  man  had  said.  People  came  to 
Ella  from  every  quarter,  and  he  soon  had  a  large 
army,  at  the  head  of  which  he  marched  south  to 
meet  the  Danes. 

I  must  tell  you  that  the  young  man  Orn  was  in 
the  tower,  and  he  saw  the  armed  men  marching  by, 
and    heard    the    trumpets    call,    and    he    was    very 

229 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

impatient  to  be  in  the  battle.  He  could  not  endure 
to  be  a  prisoner  in  the  tower  when  all  the  brave 
men  of  the  country  were  arming  against  the  invaders. 
But  the  guards  would  not  suffer  him  to  leave.  So 
he  got  two  shields,  very  large  and  light,  and  he  put 
his  arms  through  them  and  jumped  off  the  tower, 
and,  by  using  the  shields  as  wings,  he  saved  himself, 
and  came  to  the  ground  without  breaking  his  neck 
or  legs  or  arms. 

Then  he  saw  a  horse,  which  he  quickly  took.  A 
man  was  holding  the  horse,  and  this  man  had  three 
spears  in  his  hand.  Orn  snatched  two  of  them  from 
him  and  rode  away  in  the  direction  of  York.  He 
rode  and  rode,  and  did  not  desist  till  he  reached  the 
king's  army,  before  the  troops  were  mustered. 
Within  himself,  like  a  foolish  youth,  he  determined 
that  he  would  strike  the  first  blow. 

So  he  went  forward,  and,  as  the  Danes  advanced, 
he  threw  one  of  his  spears,  and  it  entered  the  mouth 
of  a  Danish  chief  and  came  out  behind  his  neck,  and 
the  body  fell  lifeless.  It  could  not  do  otherwise. 
Orn  then  threw  his  second  spear,  and  it  entered  the 
breast  of  another  Dane  and  went  through  his 
heart,  and  the  body  fell  lifeless.  It  could  not  do 
otherwise. 

Orn  had  now  spent  his  two  spears,  and  he  had 
advanced  before  the  Northumbrian  line  to  throw 
them.  Now  he  turned  to  go  back.  But  at  that 
moment  a  Danish  archer  let  fly  an  arrow,  and  it 
pierced  the  young  man,  so  that  he  fell  dead,  and  he 
was  the  first  who  was  slain  in  this  battle  under 
the  walls   of  York,  as   the  blind   man  had   said. 

230 


The  Man  with  the  Bell 

King  Ella,  when  he  knew  this,  felt  in  his  heart  a 
grief  which  he  had  never  felt  before.  He  cried 
out  with  boldness,  and  pierced  through  two  of 
the  ranks  of  the  enemy;  he  was  as  one  beside 
himself. 

The  Danes  were  on  all  sides.  Ella  the  king  was 
slain,  and  few  of  his  men  escaped. 

The  Danes  did  not  rest  till  they  had  taken  all  the 
land.  They  took  from  Buern  Buzecarle  his  house  and 
all  that  he  had,  and  the  whole  kingdom  of  North- 
umbria.  So  the  words  of  the  blind  man  with  the 
bell  came  true. 

Note. — The  story  of  "Buern  Buzecarle"  is  in  Gaimar's  Chronicle 
of  England,  written  between  1141  and  ii5i,and  is  clearly  taken 
from  a  ballad.  This  lai  has  been  unfortunately  lost.  One  incident 
in  it  I  have  had  to  modify  or  alter,  for  reasons  which  will  be  obvious 
to  any  one  who  reads  the  original.  There  are  two  versions  of  the 
story  of  the  coming  of  the  Northmen  to  England  :  one  is  given 
in  the  story  of  King  Edmund,  the  other  is  told  here.  What  is 
certain  is  that  the  Danes  began  to  come  in  Ethelred's  time,  when 
Edmund  was  king  in  East  Anglia,  and  Ella  was  king  in  North- 
umberland. The  King  of  Northumberland  had  been  Osbrith,  but 
he  had  been  deposed,  and  Ella,  who  was  not  of  royal  birth,  set  up 
in  his  place.  The  Danes  arrived  in  East  Anglia  in  866,  passed 
the  winter  there,  and  next  year  crossed  the  Humber  into  what  is 
now  Yorkshire,  and  was  then  part  of  the  kingdom  of  Northumbria. 
They  took  York  in  the  same  year,  867  ;  there  actually  was  then  a 
great  battle  fought,  and  King  Osbrith  the  dethroned  and  Ella 
the  usurper  made  up  their  differences  and  fought  the  Danes  under 
its  walls,  were  defeated,  and  both  slain.  Consequently,  we  can  fix 
the  date  of  the  events  in  this  story  with  a  nicety,  and  we  know 
that  both  Ella  and  Osbrith  were  real  historical  characters,  and 
that  this  story  is  based  on  historical  traditions. 


231 


XII 

THE    STORY    OF    CADWALLON 


233 


XII 

THE    STORY   OF  CADWALLON 


Alack  and  alack-a-day !  The  Saxons  and  the 
Angles  and  the  Jutes  had  ravaged  poor  Britain. 
They  had  burned  the  cities,  and  destroyed  the 
churches,  and  those  men  and  women  and  children 
whom  they  had  not  massacred,  they  had  reduced 
to  be  their  bondslaves. 

King  Vortigern  had  invited  them  over  to  help  the 
Britons  against  the  Picts  and  Scots,  and  these  Ger- 
mans had  found  Britain  so  fair  and  fertile,  that 
they  had  settled  in  the  good  land  and  made  it  their 
own.  Yet  was  it  not  altogether  their  own.  Still 
the  brave  Britons  maintained  a  desperate  resistance, 
and  contested  every  inch  of  land,  and  still  these 
Germans  brought  in  fresh  hordes  from  the  desolate 
sand  and  heath-grown  flats  of  Northern  Germany 
and  Jutland.  The  Britons  had  none  to  call  to 
their  aid,  for  their  kinsmen  in  Brittany  were  also  in 
great  straits,  and  hard  pressed. 

Now  this  is  the  story  of  the  last  gallant  struggle 
made  by  the  Britons. 

235 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

North  of  the  Humber  ruled  a  chief  of  the  Angles, 
named  Ethelfrid,  who  was  a  heathen,  and  a  ferocious 
enemy  of  the  British.  He  had  a  wife,  but  he  was 
unkind  to  her,  and  at  last  drove  her  away,  and  she 
went  in  the  heaviness  of  her  heart  to  Cadwan,  King 
of  the  Britons,  so  that  probably  she  was  a  British 
lady ;  and  then,  when  Ethelfrid  had  got  rid  of  her, 
he  married  a  great  stout  German  Frau. 

The  wife  of  Ethelfrid  remained  at  the  court  of 
Cadwan,  and  was  much  loved  by  the  queen. 

Now  it  fell  out  that  much  about  the  same  time 
the  banished  wife  of  Ethelfrid  became  the  mother 
of  a  little  son,  and  so  also  did  the  wife  of  Cadwan. 
Then  the  first  was  called  Edwin,  and  the  British 
prince  was  named  Cadwallon. 

The  two  boys  grew  up  together,and  played  together, 
and  were  great  friends,  almost  as  if  they  were  brothers. 

Now,  when  both  had  grown  to  be  fine  youths, 
the  King  Cadwan  sent  them  both  to  Brittany,  to 
King  Solomon,  who  reigned  there,  that  they  might 
be  instructed  in  all  the  knowledge  of  the  time,  and 
be  taught  to  be  brave  and  honourable  and  true. 

King  Solomon  received  them  very  kindly,  and  he 
did  all  that  was  asked  of  him,  and  the  youths  fought 
by  his  side,  and  did  valiantly  in  some  of  his  battles. 

At  length,  in  course  of  time,  good  King  Cadwan 
died,  and  so  also  did  the  Angle  chief,  Ethelfrid  ;  and 
each  youth  started  to  return  to  Britain,  Cadwallon 
to  be  king  and  Edwin  to  be  chief. 

Now,  as  they  were  in  the  boat,  sailing  over  the 
blue  sea,  and  the  gulls  were  hovering  over  their 
heads,  and  the  sail  was  full  spread,  and  the  waves 

236 


The  Story  of  Cadwallon 

foamed  up  before  the  bows,  the  two  youths  stood  in 
the  fore  part  of  the  ship,  and  looked  towards  the 
land  whence  they  first  came,  to  which  they  were 
returning. 

Then  said  Edwin,  "  Cousin,  you  rule  over  the 
British,  and  I  rule  over  the  Angles,  You  wear  a 
crown,  why  should  not  I  ?  " 

Then  Cadwallon,  without  much  thought,  answered 
and  said,  "  Ay,  cousin,  wear  a  gold  crown  if  so  you 
list." 

Now  it  fell  out  that  after  they  had  parted,  and 
Cadwallon  was  going  through  his  kingdom,  that  his 
heart  grew  sad  and  angry  at  the  sight  of  the  havoc 
wrought  by  the  Angle  and  Saxon  invaders.  He 
came  to  Bangor,  near  Chester,  and  there  saw  blackened 
ruins  where  had  once  been  a  great  monastery,  w^here 
the  holy  men  sat  in  ranges  with  gold  harps,  and 
harped  and  sang  the  praises  of  God  all  in  the  British 
tongue.  But  Ethelfrid  had  come  there,  and  a  great 
battle  had  been  fought  in  the  apple  orchards  there 
in  the  year  607,  and  Ethelfrid  had  defeated  the 
Britons,  and  had  murdered  all  the  monks  in  the 
famous  monastery,  to  the  number  of  twelve  hundred. 
For  Ethelfrid  had  said,  "  What  are  these  old  men  in 
white  doing  ?  they  are  praying  their  God  to  defeat 
us  ?  "      So  they  had  all  been  put  to  the  sword. 

Along  with  Cadwallon  went  his  nephew  Brian, 
and  as  the  day  was  hot,  and  the  king  was  weary, 
Cadwallon  sat  down  beside  a  river,  and  laid  his  head 
on  his  nephew's  lap  and  fell  asleep. 

Now  Brian  had  not  lived  out  of  Britain,  as  had 
his    uncle,    and    he    thought    how    that    Cadwallon 

237 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

had  granted  to  Edwin  the  right  to  wear  a  crown, 
and  how  that  Edwin  was  the  son  of  the  cruel 
ravager,  Ethelfrid.  And  when  he  thought  on  all 
this,  he  wept,  and  his  tears  fell  down  and  dropped 
on  his  uncle's  face.  Cadwallon  was  disturbed  in  his 
sleep  by  the  tears,  and  half  asleep  and  half  awake, 
he  said,  "  It  rains  !  how  it  rains !  " 

Then  he  opened  his  eyes  and  saw  that  the  sky 
was  clear  and  blue.  Then  he  said,  "  This  is  strange. 
There  has  been  a  shower,  and  the  sun  is  shining. 
Where  is  the  rainbow  ?  " 

Then  Brian  said,  "  Uncle,  you  have  put  it  on  the 
head  of  Edwin." 

Now  Cadwallon  looked  in  his  nephew's  face  and 
saw  that  his  eyelashes  were  heavy  with  tears,  and 
he  asked  him  what  he  meant. 

Thereupon  Brian  said,  "  h,  uncle  and  king, 
hitherto  these  cruel  invaders  who  have  spoiled  and 
taken  our  land  have  been  but  robber  chiefs,  and 
captains  savage,  and  rulers  over  savages.  But  they 
have  not  quite  forgotten  that  they  are  intruders,  and 
none  hitherto  have  called  themselves  kings.  Now, 
what  have  you  done  but  to  break  the  British  crown 
in  half,  and  give  half  the  golden  hoop  to  the  son  of 
the  man  who  wasted  your  land  and  slew  the  saints 
of  God." 

When  Cadwallon  heard  what  was  said,  he  was 
sore  troubled  and  ashamed.  He  set  his  teeth  hard, 
and  before  he  raised  his  head  from  the  lap  of  Brian, 
he  had  resolved  to  make  one  desperate  struggle  to 
free  the  fair  land  of  Britain  from  the  foreigners 
who  had  spread  over  it. 

233 


The  Story  of  Cadwallon 

Then  he  stood  up.  Now  there  was  growing 
near  a  great  number  of  dog-daisies.  Cadwallon 
plucked  them,  and  made  of  them  a  wreath,  and  put 
it  round  the  head  of  Brian,  and  said,  "  Follow  me." 
So  he  led  him  to  the  ruins  of  Bangor,  and  took 
thence  a  stake  that  was  burnt  at  one  part,  and  at 
the  other  stained  with  the  blood  of  the  holy  martyrs. 
He  bade  Brian  take  this  piece  of  wood  and  lay  it 
before  Edwin,  and  say  to  him,  "  This  will  I  avenge 
on  thee  and  thy  people."  But  because  of  the  white 
dog-daisies  round  his  head,  a  token  that  he  was  a 
messenger,  Edwin  would  not  venture  to  lay  hands 
on  him. 

Thereat  Brian  rejoiced  greatly,  and  he  went  cheer- 
fully on  his  way,  nor  halted  till  he  came  to  the  city 
of  York.  There  he  entered  as  the  messenger  ot 
King  Cadwallon,  and  went  before  Edwin. 

Then,  lo !  he  saw  the  Angle  chief  in  his  high  seat, 
wearing  a  crown  on  his  head. 

Thereat  Brian  waxed  wroth,  and  he  went  up  to 
him,  and  with  the  charred  stick  he  took  it  off  his 
head,  put  it  on  his  arm,  and,  throwing  the  burnt 
stick  at  the  foot  of  the  astonished  prince,  cried  out, 
"  This  will  Cadwallon,  the  great  king,  the  Pendragon, 
revenge  on  thee  and  thine." 

And  so  he  ran  forth,  carrying  the  crown,  and 
none  stayed  him,  for  all  were  amazed  at  what  he 
had  done.  Moreover,  he  drew  his  cloak  about  him, 
and  concealed  the  gold  crown  he  bore. 

Then  King  Cadwallon  sent  messengers  through- 
out the  land  to  summon  the  Britons  to  meet  him 
and  prepare  for  battle. 

239 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Edwin  also  made  ready.  But  he  was  a  subtle 
man,  and  he  resolved  to  obtain  help  in  other  ways 
than  by  arms.  So  he  sent  and  fetched  to  him  a 
Spanish  magician,  whose  name  was  Pellitus,  and 
asked  his  assistance. 

Pellitus  promised  it.  He  must  have  the  swords 
and  axes  wherewith  the  blessed  martyrs  at  Bangor 
had  been  slain,  as  well  as  the  gold  of  their  harps 
that  had  been  carried  away.  This  must  all  be 
mixed  with  tears  of  widows  and  orphans,  and  the 
whole  smelted  with  wood  that  came  from  dead  men's 
biers.  Then  Pellitus  promised  to  make  thereof  a 
magic  mirror  which  would  show  to  Edwin  all  that 
Cadwallon  did. 

It  was  not  hard  to  obtain  the  ingredients,  as  there 
were  many  orphans  and  widows  who  wept  daily 
their  losses  in  the  cruel  wars  carried  on  by  Ethelfrid, 
and  the  swords  and  axes  were  in  the  hands  of  the 
mighty  men  of  the  court,  and  the  gold  harps  in  the 
treasury. 

So  Pellitus  worked,  and  in  time  ran  out  the  molten 
metal,  and  fashioned  therefrom  a  great  mirror. 
Now,  whenever  Edwin  looked  into  the  mirror,  he 
could  see  what  Cadwallon  was  doing,  how  he  was 
arranging  his  army,  and  what  were  the  forces  under 
his  command. 

But  this  did  not  suffice  the  Angle  prince.  He 
sent  and  brought  to  him  three  old  witches  with 
beards  like  men  and  nails  like  the  claws  of  birds. 
And  the  thing  that  these  old  women  could  do  was 
to  bake,  boil,  and  brew  storms.  One  baked  thunder- 
bolts, and   one  boiled   till   out  of  her  cauldron   rose 

240 


The  Story  of  Cadwallon 

clouds  charged  with  hail  and  snow  and  rain,  and 
the  third  brewed  winds.  He  set  these  three  women 
in  a  tower  of  his  castle  at  York,  and  the  king  looked 
every  day  into  his  magic  mirror. 

When  he  saw  that  Cadwallon  was  coming  with 
his  army  along  a  difficult  way,  then  he  went  with 
his  host  against  him,  and  caught  him  stretched  in 
extended  line,  and  cut  his  army  in  half.  And  when 
he  saw  that  Cadwallon  was  on  the  alert,  and  prepared 
for  battle,  then  he  kept  away ;  but  so  soon  as  his 
mirror  told  him  that  the  army  of  the  Britons  was 
resting  and  relaxing  its  discipline,  then  he  came  down 
on  it  from  all  quarters,  and  cut  it  to  pieces. 

Moreover,  when  the  forces  of  the  Northumbrians  and 
of  the  Britons  met  on  a  plain,  then  he  set  his  witches 
to  work,  and  they  made  furious  storms ;  thunderbolts 
and  hail  were  flung  out  of  the  clouds  against  Cad- 
wallon, and  such  a  furious  gale  drove  in  the  faces  of 
the  Britons  that  it  beat  back  their  armies,  and  gave 
double  force  to  those  of  the  Northumbrian  foreigners. 

Thus  the  Britons  were  defeated  in  several  battles, 
and  several  of  their  cities  were  taken.  Among  these 
was  Worcester,  in  which  was  Gwen,  the  sister  of 
Brian  and  the  niece  of  Cadwallon. 

Then  Edwin  sent  her  to  York  to  be  made  the 
handmaid  of  his  queen,  and  he  bade  his  wife  use 
her  roughly,  and  make  her  do  the  most  menial 
work.  Gwen  was  very  gentle  and  meek,  and  she 
obeyed  what  was  commanded,  but  she  wept  day  and 
night,  not  only  because  she  was  a  prisoner,  but  also 
because  of  the  sorrows  of  the  Britons,  and  the  defeats 
of  their  king,  Cadwallon. 

i6  241 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

At  last  Cadwallon  was  forced  to  fly  out  of  Britain, 
and  he  took  ships  for  Ireland.  There  he  went  about 
and  urged  the  kings  to  come  to  his  assistance.  He 
represented  to  them  that  these  rapacious  Angles  and 
Saxons  would  not  rest  content  with  having  taken 
and  ravaged  Britain,  but  that  they  would  next  turn 
their  attention  to  Ireland. 

So  Cadwallon  was  able  to  collect  forces.  But 
whenever  he  put  to  sea,  then  Edwin  looked  into  his 
magic  mirror  and  saw  him,  and  set  the  three  witches 
to  brew  and  bake  and  boil,  and  send  such  storms 
that  the  ships  were  wrecked  or  driven  back  upon  the 
Irish  coast. 

At  length  Cadwallon  was  almost  in  despair,  and 
he  resolved  to  cross  over  into  Brittany  and  consult 
his  good  friend.  King  Solomon. 

Now,  just  as  before,  Edwin  looked  in  the  glass,  and 
saw  Cadwallon  starting  with  the  remnant  of  his  men. 
He  ordered  the  sister  witches  to  work,  and  they 
baked  and  boiled  and  brewed,  and  such  a  frightful 
tempest,  with  hail  and  thunderbolts  and  raging 
winds,  broke  over  the  deep,  that  the  fleet  of  King 
Cadwallon  was  scattered,  and  nearly  all  the  ships 
foundered  with  those  on  board.  Owing  to  the  fury 
of  the  sea,  none  of  those  who  fell  in  could  escape  to 
land.  The  ship  in  which  were  Cadwallon  and  his 
nephew  Brian  was  driven  upon  the  coast  of  a  barren 
isle,  which  I  think  was  that  of  Ushant ;  and  they 
had  great  difficulty  in  getting  ashore,  so  furious  were 
the  breakers. 

Cadwallon  was  so  grieved  at  the  loss  of  his  com- 
panions and  the  failure  of  his  hopes,  that  for  three 

242 


The  Story  of  Cadwallon 

days  and  nights  he  lay  on  the  turf  and  refused  to 
eat. 

The  faithful  Brian  was  sore  troubled  for  his  uncle, 
whose  heart  seemed  to  be  broken.  He  went  about 
the  island  seeking  for  food,  but  could  find  nought. 
The  seafowl  had  all  been  disturbed  by  the  gale. 
It  was  not  the  season  for  eggs.  There  were  neither 
goats  nor  sheep  on  the  islet.  He  tried  to  get  sea 
shells  and  fish,  but  the  waves  still  boiled  and  tumbled 
on  the  rocks,  and  he  could  find  nothing.  Nor  were 
there  any  berries  to  be  found.  Nothing  grew  in  the 
island  but  short  grass. 

Now,  what  do  you  suppose  that  Brian  did  when 
he  saw  how  matters  were  ? 

He  took  his  knife  and  cut  out  a  slice  from  his 
own  thigh,  and  lighted  a  fire  and  roasted  the  flesh 
thereat,  and  brought  it  to  the  king,  and  said  it  was 
venison. 

Then  Cadwallon  raised  himself  and  ate,  nothing 
knowing  what  he  ate.  But  when  he  had  eaten,  then 
the  spirit  revived  within  him,  and  he  resolved  to 
make  an  attempt  to  reach  the  mainland. 

The  wind  had  fallen,  and  he  and  Brian  were  able 
to  get  the  ship  afloat,  and  in  it  they  were  wafted 
over  the  strait  to  the  coast  of  Brittany.  Then  they 
went  before  King  Solomon,  who  received  them  very 
kindly ;  and  when  he  heard  of  the  state  of  affairs  in 
Britain  he  promised  his  assistance. 

So  Solomon  called  together  his  council,  and  they 
consulted  for  three  days.  Then  the  king  said  to 
Cadwallon,  "  This  is  what  we  think.  So  long  as 
Pellitus  is   by  the  side  of  Edwin,  nothing  can  avail. 

243 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Moreover,  no  success  can  attend  your  arms  so  long 
as  Edwin  can  look  in  the  mirror  and  learn  all  your 
movements.  This  is  our  advice.  You  hunt,  and  play 
bowls,  and  eat  and  drink  and  royster.  Then  Edwin, 
looking  in  his  glass,  will  see  you  making  merry,  and 
he  will  think  that  he  has  nothing  more  to  fear." 

Now  the  wood  of  Brocelind  contained  in  it  a 
great  oak-tree,  and  in  that  oak-tree  was  the  enchanter 
Merlin,  who  had  so  greatly  assisted  Uthyr  Pendragon 
and  King  Arthur.  He  might  never  leave  that  tree, 
but  it  was  said  that  in  times  of  great  distress  to 
Britain,  he  might  there  be  consulted. 

This,  then,  was  the  advice  given  by  the  wise  men 
of  King  Solomon,  that  Brian  should  go  to  the  wood 
and  call  thrice  upon  Merlin  by  the  tree,  and  ask  his 
counsel.  This  accordingly  was  done,  and  Brian 
received  answer  that  he  must  himself  go  and  be  the 
slayer  of  Pellitus,  and  that  nothing  would  break  the 
mirror  of  Edwin  save  a  horse  of  brass  made  out  of 
the  sacring  bells  of  the  churches  in  Brittany. 

When  Brian  heard  this,  then  he  went  up  and 
down  through  the  land,  and  he  told  of  the  scfrrows 
of  Britain  wherever  he  went ;  and  in  every  church  he 
asked  for  "  the  sacring  bell," — that  is  to  say,  the  little 
hand-bell  which  is  rung  at  the  mass,  for  without 
that  Britain  could  not  be  relieved.  There  was  not 
a  priest  nor  a  congregation  in  all  Brittany  that  was 
not  willing  to  surrender  its  bell.  So  Brian  came 
back  to  King  Solomon  with  great  store  of  bells  of 
brass,  and  even  some  of  silver. 

Now  King  Solomon  sent  for  a  cunning  worker  in 
brass,  and  Brian  told  him  all  that  in  which  he  had 

244 


The  Story  of  Cadwallon 

been  instructed  by  Merlin,  and  he  cast  a  horse  of  a 
goodly  size  of  the  brass  of  the  sacring  bells.  No 
sooner  did  the  brass  horse  issue  from  the  foundry, 
than  he  began  to  neigh  and  prance. 

After  that  Brian  made  him  a  staff,  and  shod  the 
staff  with  a  sharp  piece  of  steel  at  the  end,  and  with 
this  in  his  hand,  and  with  the  brass  horse,  he 
departed  in  a  ship  for  the  coast  of  Britain. 

He  had  a  good  voyage.  Edwin  made  no  account 
of  him.  His  glass  told  him  that  Cadwallon  w^as 
that  day  playing  a  game  of  bowls.  The  glass  told 
him  nothing  of  the  movements  of  Brian. 

When  Brian  landed  at  Hamo's  Port,  which  is 
now  called  Southampton,  he  rode  the  brass  horse  by 
night,  and  by  day  he  covered  it  with  boughs  of  trees 
and  old  clouts,  that  no  man  might  see  it,  and  none 
might  report  concerning  it  to  Edwin,  or  to  his 
magician  Pellitus. 

In  this  manner  Brian  rode  till  he  reached  a  wood 
near  to  York,  and  there  he  concealed  the  horse,  and 
covered  it  with  branches  of  trees  ;  and,  in  the  habit 
of  a  beggar  man  holding  his  staff,  he  went  on  to 
York,  and  came  outside  the  palace  and  stood  among 
the  beggars  who  waited  daily  for  alms. 

Now,  as  he  thus  stood,  his  sister  came  forth, 
having  a  basin  in  her  hand,  which  she  hasted  to  fill 
with  fresh  water  for  the  queen.  Brian  went  close 
by  her,  and  whispered.  She  at  once  knew  him,  and 
could  hardly  restrain  her  tears  by  the  fear  she  was 
in  lest  he  should  be  discovered.  He  bade  her  try 
and  meet  him  the  next  night  at  an  old  ruined  church 
outside   the  walls,   and   he  asked    her   to    point  out 

245 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Pellitus  to  him.  This  she  did.  She  pointed  with 
her  finger  to  the  magician,  who  had  just  issued  from 
the  door,  bearing  some  alms  for  the  beggars,  sent 
them  by  Edwin. 


Thereat  Brian  pressed  through  the  crowd  of 
paupers,  and  came  close  up  to  the  magician,  and 
plucked  at  his  garment.  Then  Pellitus  turned,  and 
instantly  Brian  raised  his  staff  and  struck  him  in  the 
breast  with  the  sharp  end,  and  transfixed   him   with 

246 


The  Story  of  Cadwallon 

it  to  the  ground,  and  stepped  back  and   disappeared 
among  the  beggars. 

A  great  commotion  and  outcry  ensued,  and  the 
gates  of  the  city  were  ordered  to  be  closed.  But 
Brian  had  fled  and  hidden  himself  in  the  wood  by 
the  brazen  horse.  His  sister  was  unable  to  come  to 
him,  so  strict  were  the  orders  of  Edwin  that  none 
should  be  allowed  to  pass  the  gates. 

Brian  waited  till  midnight,  and  then  he  went  to 
his  brazen  horse,  and  patted  him  on  the  neck,  and 
said,  "  Alas !  good  steed,  what  shall  I  do  ?  The 
gates  are  fast,  and  the  mirror  is  sound,  and  my  sister 
is  a  prisoner." 

At  that  moment  the  moon  rose,  and  the  brazen 
horse  began  to  prance  and  to  neigh.  In  a  moment 
he  started,  and  was  gone.  He  galloped  to  the  gates 
of  York,  and  stood  up  on  his  hind  legs  and  beat 
with  his  front  hoofs  against  the  gates,  and  broke 
them  down.  All  the  guards  fled  in  panic,  and  he 
neighed,  and  his  neigh  was  as  the  blast  of  a  trumpet. 
Everyone  fled  before  him.  He  went  on  to  the 
tower  where  was  kept  the  magic  mirror,  and  he 
went  in,  and  kicked  the  mirror  and  shattered  it  to 
pieces.  Then  he  trotted  up  the  great  stair  into  the 
chamber  of  the  ladies,  and  knelt  down  beside  Gwen. 

She  thought  that  she  had  better  commit  herself 
to  the  brazen  horse  than  remain  a  prisoner  among 
the  enemies  of  her  people.  So  she  sprang  on  the 
back  of  the  horse,  and  he  rose  and  trotted  away 
with  her,  out  of  the  palace,  down  the  street  of  York, 
through  the  broken  gate,  and  away,  away  to  the 
wood  where  Brian  was  waiting. 

247 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Then  Brian  kissed  his  sister,  and  was  right  glad, 
and  he  rode  along  with  her  across  the  country  till 
he  came  to  Caer  Wise,  or  Exeter,  and  there  he 
summoned  all  the  Britons  of  the  west  to  assemble 
and  make  a  stand  against  the  Saxons  and  Angles. 

It  must  now  be  told  that  in  Mid-Britain  was  the 
kingdom  of  Mercia,  which  consisted  of  the  pagan 
Angles  who  had  settled  there.  Their  chief  was 
named  Penda,  and  he  recognised  the  supreme 
authority  of  Edwin.  Now,  when  Edwin  of  North- 
umbria  heard  that  the  Britons  of  the  west  had  risen 
under  Brian,  he  sent  word  to  Penda  to  march 
against  them.  But,  as  it  happened,  in  Mercia  the 
great  bulk  of  the  people  were  Britons,  and  only  the 
nobles  were  Germans.  Moreover,  Penda  was  jealous 
of  Edwin,  who  was  younger  than  he,  and  therefore 
he  only  reluctantly  obeyed.  He  arrived  before 
Exeter,  and  besieged  it. 

Meanwhile,  however,  Cadwallon  had  set  sail  at 
the  head  of  a  large  body  of  men  from  Brittany,  and 
as  Edwin  knew  nothing  of  his  proceedings  now  that 
the  mirror  was  broken  and  his  magician  slain,  he 
did  not  bid  the  three  hags  to  send  storms  against 
him,  Cadwallon  landed,  and  advanced  to  the  relief 
of  Exeter  at  the  head  of  ten  thousand  men.  A 
skirmish  with  Penda  ensued,  and  then  the  chief  of 
the  Mercians  agreed  to  come  to  terms  with  Cadwallon, 
and  unite  forces  with  him,  and  march  against  Edwin. 

When  the  Prince  of  Northumbria  heard  of  this 
combination,  he  was  greatly  alarmed ;  he  gathered 
together  a  large  army,  and  hastened  to  oppose  the 
British  king  and  Penda. 

248 


The  Story  of  Cadwallon 

A  great  battle  was  fought  at  Heathfield,  on  the 
south  frontiers  of  Northumbrla.  That  was  a 
glorious  victory  for  the  Britons,  for  they  utterly 
routed  and  cut  to  pieces  the  foreign  invaders.  Edwin 
fell,  sword  in  hand,  and  almost  all  his  people  fell 
with  him,  together  with  his  son  Osfrid,  and  Godbold, 
King  of  the  Orkneys,  who  had  come  to  his  assistance. 

Having  obtained  this  great  victory,  Cadwallon 
marched  through  Northumbria,  driving  out  the 
aliens,  and  everywhere  restoring  the  Britons  to  their 
own  possessions. 

So  once  more  a  British  king  held  high  court  in 
London,  and  all  Britain  was  subject  to  him. 

When  Cadwallon  grew  old,  he  bade  his  people 
when  he  died  embalm  his  body  and  place  it  in  brass 
on  the  brazen  horse  made  out  of  the  sacring  bells 
in  Brittany,  and  set  him  on  the  west  gate  of  London, 
with  his  face  turned  to  the  western  sun.  And  he 
said  that  so  long  as  he  thus  sat  on  the  brass  horse, 
so  long  the  Saxons  should  not  prevail.  And  so 
it  was.  When  he  died,  a  figure  was  cast  in  his 
form  and  set  on  the  brazen  horse,  that  had  never 
neighed  nor  moved  since  its  work  had  been  accom- 
plished. And  the  figure  of  the  king  on  horseback 
was  erected  where  now  stands  St.  Martin's  Church. 

Now  it  fell  out  that  after  some  years,  the  people 
of  London  town  said  :  "  Of  what  use  is  that  brazen 
image  of  a  king  on  horseback  ?  Let  us  melt  and 
mint  him,  and  then  he  will  circulate  as  money." 
They  did  this.  They  melted  the  figure  and  minted 
it,  and  it  became  pennies.  But  after  that  the 
Saxons  came,  and  seized  on  London,  and  there  was 

249 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

never  after  a  British  king  in  the  land.  And  if  ever 
you  chance  on  a  bronze  penny  with  on  it  the  image  of 
a  horse  and  rider,  be  sure  it  is  one  made  out  of  the 
statue  of  Cadwallon  on  his  horse. 

Note. — The  story  of  Cadwallon,  or  Cadwallo,  or  Caedwalla, 
is  given  by  Geoffry  of  Monmouth,  and  after  him  by  Roger  of 
Wendover,  and  Caradoc  of  Llancarvan.  According  to  Bede,  who 
was  almost  a  contemporary,  he  died  in  634.  Bede,  of  course, 
vilifies  the  British  hero,  and  glorifies  the  Northumbrian  princes. 
The  story  in  Geoffry  of  Monmouth  is,  of  course,  fabulous,  but  is 
based  on  fact,  as  we  can  see  by  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  and  by  Bede. 
Geoffry  took  the  Welsh  legends,  and,  having  no  feeling  for  the 
poetry  in  them,  did  his  best  to  spoil  these  legends.  He  introduces 
wretched  discourses  of  great  length  into  the  interview  between 
Cadwallon  and  Solomon  of  Armorica. 

At  the  best  the  story  is  fragmentary,  and  I  have  taken  the 
liberty  of  embroidering  thereon.  I  have  introduced  the  brazen 
horse  earlier  in  the  story  than  in  GeofTry's  History. 


I 


250 


XIII 

THE  STORY  OF  KING  EDMUND 


251 


XIII 

THE   STORY  OF    KING   EDMUND 


Long,  long  ago,  in  the  kingdom  of  the  Danes,  there 
Hved  a  certain  man  called  Ragnar,  and  as  he  wore 
his  breeches  of  hair  that  had  been  dipped  in  melted 
pitch,  which  dried  and  made  it  bristle,  all  hard  and 
black,  he  went  by  the  name  of  Lodbrog  or  Shaggy- 
breek. 

Now  I  must  tell  you  why  Ragnar  wore  the  shaggy 
breeks.  There  lived  in  Gothland  a  great  earl,  and 
he  had  an  only  child,  a  daughter,  called  Thora,  very 
beautiful,  and  greatly  loved  by  her  father. 

Every  day  when  the  earl  went  out  hunting,  if  he 
saw  anything  pretty  or  curious,  he  brought  it  home 
for  his  daughter. 

Now  he  had  built  her  a  house  for  herself  in  a 
sunny  spot  near  a  wood,  and  in  it  she  and  her 
maidens  dwelt ;  and  they  hung  the  chambers  all 
round  with  tapestry,  and  the  roof  was  gilt,  so  that  it 
shone  just  like  the  sun.  One  day  the  earl  found  in 
the  forest  the  loveliest  little  snake,  that  glittered  like 

253 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

a  rainbow,  and,  like  a  rainbow,  was  of  all  colours. 
It  was  so  small  that  he  put  it  in  his  pocket,  and 
when  he  gave  it  to  Thora,  she  put  it  into  an  ashen 
chest  near  the  fire,  where  it  might  be  warm,  and 
whence  she  could  take  it  out  to  play  with  it  whilst 
sitting  by  the  fire. 

She  fed  the  snake  with  milk,  a  spoonful  every  day. 

It  grew  and  grew,  and  at  last  was  too  big  for  the 
chest,  so  it  got  out  and  lay  before  the  fire,  and  would 
not  allow  the  earl's  daughter  or  her  maidens  to  come 
near.      It  occupied  the  whole  space  before  the  fire. 

Still  she  fed  it  with  milk,  and  now  it  drank  a 
jugful  twice  a  day. 

It  grew  and  grew,  and  at  last  filled  the  whole 
room,  so  that  the  earl's  daughter  and  her  maids  had 
to  remain  outside  the  door.  But  the  appetite  of  the 
snake  also  grew,  and  it  put  forth  its  head  at  the 
window  and  hissed  for  milk. 

She  fed  it  with  milk,  and  it  drank  all  the  milk  a 
cow  gave,  and  had  to  be  fed  four  times  a  day. 

It  grew  and  grew,  and  the  room  was  too  small  for 
it,  so  it  slipped  out  of  the  window  and  curled  itself 
round  the  house  in  which  was  the  earl's  daughter, 
and  she  could  not  get  out  at  all,  for  now  the  serpent 
was  very  savage,  and  furious  for  milk  ;  and  if  the 
earl  had  not  driven  up  droves  of  cows  every  day  for 
the  snake  to  drink  their  milk,  the  horrible  creature 
would  have  bitten  off  the  heads  of  the  earl's  daughter 
and  her  maids,  and  have  sucked  their  blood. 

When  the  serpent  was  angry,  he  spat  out  venom 
that  burned  up  the  grass  and  trees,  and  if  a  spot  ot 
the  venom  fell  on  a  man's  hand,  it  went  on  burning 

254 


The  Story  of  King  Edmund 

through  his  flesh  till  it  had  reached  the  bone,  and  it 
burnt  through  that  and  killed  the  man ;  for  he  went 
all  to  pieces  when  his  bones  were  burnt  through. 

The  Earl  of  Gothland  was  in  great  distress,  he 
did  not  know  how  to  deliver  his  daughter.  So  he 
issued  a  proclamation  that  he  would  give  her  to  be 
the  wife  of  any  man  who  could  kill  the  serpent. 


When  the  tidings  reached  Denmark,  then  Ragnar 
heard  of  the  offer.  But  he  said  nothing,  only  he 
made  himself  long  trousers  of  wild  bull  hair,  and  a 
sort  of  pilot  coat  also  of  hair,  and  he  melted  pitch 
and  dipped  the  hair  suit  in  it,  and  when  the  pitch 
was  dry,  he  put  on  this  curious  suit,  and  everyone 
laughed  and  called  him  Hairy-breek. 

Now,  Ragnar  was  the  son  of  a  king,  and  he  asked 
■  255 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

his  father  to  give  him  a  ship  and  some  companions. 
The  king  agreed,  and  when  Ragnar  set  sail,  he 
steered  in  the  direction  of  Gothland,  which  is  an 
island  in  the  Baltic. 

One  evening  he  arrived  at  Gothland,  and  ran  his 
vessel  into  a  little  creek.  Without  saying  anything 
to  anyone,  he  took  his  spear,  and  put  on  his  pitched 
hairy  clothes,  and  walked  in  the  direction  of  the 
mansion  of  Thora,  the  earl's  daughter. 

Before  he  came  out  of  the  wood,  he  sat  down  on 
a  stone  and  knocked  out  the  nail  that  fastened  the 
head  of  his  spear  to  the  shaft.  Then  he  went  on, 
and  presently  he  saw  the  serpent  lying  coiled  round 
the  house  of  the  earl's  daughter. 

It  smelt  something  strange, — it  was  the  pitch  of 
Ragnar's  garments, — and  lifted  its  hideous  head. 

Ragnar  was  not  afraid.  He  came  on,  and  flung 
his  spear  so  that  it  drove  right  through  the  head  of 
the  creature  and  pinned  it  to  the  wall.  The  serpent, 
in  dying,  squirted  forth  a  torrent  of  venom,  which 
fell  on  Ragnar,  but  did  him  no  harm,  because  he 
was  protected  by  his  tarry  suit.  Then  he  laid  hold 
of  the  shaft  of  his  spear,  and  left  the  head  of  it 
nailing  the  dead  monster  to  the  wall. 

The  earl  was  glad  next  morning,  when  he  saw 
that  the  serpent  was  dead,  and  he  asked  of  everyone 
who  had  done  the  great  deed. 

No  one  knew.  One  of  his  servants  told  him  that 
a  strange  ship  was  anchored  in  a  bay  of  the  island, 
and  he  at  once  gave  command  that  all  on  board 
should  be  brought  to  him,  each  with  his  spear. 

Now,  when  they  were  brought,  as  he  ordered,  not 
256 


The  Story  ot  King  Edmund 

one  of  the  company  would  say  he  had  killed  the 
monster.  So  the  earl  made  them  produce  their 
spears,  and  lo !  all  had  the  heads  on  except  that  of 
Ragnar,  and  Ragnar's  shaft  exactly  fitted  the  head 
that  had  pierced  the  throat  and  backbone  of  the 
great  serpent. 

Then  there  was  a  grand  feast  and  a  merry  wedding, 
and  Ragnar  Hairybreeks  lived  very  happily  with  his 
wife,  and  by  her  had  two  sons,  called  Hingvar  and 
Hubba,  and  he  was  declared  heir  to  the  earl,  and  he 
reigned  after  him  in  Gothland,  and,  after  his  own 
father's  death,  in  Denmark  as  well. 

Now  it  happened  one  day  that  he  took  his  hawk 
and  went  out  unattended  in  a  little  boat  to  catch 
seafowl  around  the  coast. 

Whilst  thus  engaged,  he  was  surprised  by  a  storm, 
which  carried  him  out  to  sea  and  tossed  him  about 
for  several  days  and  nights,  and  he  was  constrained 
to  bale  his  boat  continually  to  keep  it  from  sinking. 

At  last,  one  morning,  he  was  driven  ashore  on  a 
flat  coast  that  he  did  not  know,  and  he  was  so  cold 
and  stiff  and  exhausted  with  baling  and  with  hunger, 
that  he  could  hardly  move. 

The  people  of  the  country  came  down  to  the 
beach  and  found  him  in  the  boat,  and  the  hawk 
still  on  his  hand ;  so  they  took  him,  treated  him 
kindly,  gave  him  to  eat,  and  then  presented  him  to 
their  king.  Now  the  place  where  Ragnar  had  been 
cast  up  by  the  sea  was  Redham,  in  Norfolk,  and  the 
king  of  the  country  was  called  Edmund. 

King    Edmund    received    Ragnar   very   well,   and 
invited  him   to  stay  at  his   court,  and,  inasmuch  as 
17  257 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

the  Danish  language  was  very  like  the  Saxon  tongue, 
Ragnar  began  to  tell  how  he  had  been  driven  by  the 
storm,  and  also  who  he  was,  and  King  Edmund 
understood  his  tale. 

Ragnar  was  very  happy  hunting  in  the  Suffolk 
and  Norfolk  forests,  and  his  hawk  was  so  helpful 
that  he  gained  far  more  success  than  did  Biorn,  the 
royal  forester.  King  Edmund  made  a  great  deal  of 
his  distinguished  guest,  and  both  laughed  very 
much  at  the  failures  of  Biorn  where  Ragnar  was 
successful. 

This  made  the  forester  very  jealous  and  angry, 
and  he  resolved  to  kill  Ragnar.  This,  however,  was 
not  a  very  easy  thing  to  do,  for  Ragnar  always  wore 
his  suit  of  hair  dipped  in  pitch,  and  no  weapon  would 
bite  in  it.  Indeed,  so  hard  was  this  suit,  that  he 
would  stand  up  and  allow  King  Edmund  and  his 
men  to  aim  at  him  with  their  arrows,  and  they  could 
not  hurt  him,  because  their  arrows  glanced  off  from 
the  pitch,  or  were  caught  among  the  shaggy  masses 
glued  together  with  the  black,  hard  substance. 

Biorn  the  forester  knew  he  could  not  kill  Lodbrog, 
unless  he  pretended  to  be  great  friends  with  him, 
and  he  took  him  wherever  there  was  plenty  of 
waterfowl,  and  rode  with  him  wherever  there  were 
deer  to  be  hunted.  By  this  means  Ragnar  lost  all 
the  slight  apprehension  towards  the  man  which  had 
been  inspired  by  Biorn  at  the  first. 

Now  Biorn  employed  himself  in  digging  a  very 
deep  pit  in  the  forest,  and  when  it  was  finished,  he 
put  into  it  a  great  many  venomous  serpents.  Then 
he  covered  the  pit  over  with  branches  and  earth  and 

258 


The  Story  ot  King  Edmund 

sods  of  grass,  and  soon  no  one  but  himself  could  tell 
that  it  was  a  pitfall. 

When  this  had  been  done,  he  went  to  Ragnar  and 
said,  "  Sir,  there  is  a  white  hart  with  a  gold  collar 
browsing  in  the  wood.     Shall  we  go  and  hunt  it  ?  " 

Lodbrog  jumped  up  in  delight. 

Then  Biorn  said,  "  We  must  run  very  swiftly,  so 
lay  aside  your  pitchy  coat." 

"  No,"  answered  Ragnar.  "  I  can  run  in  my  hairy 
breeks  as  fast  as  you  in  yours  of  linen." 

Then  they  set  off  together,  and  were  alone,  for 
Biorn  had  said,  "  We  will  tell  no  one,  and  so  have 
none  to  share  our  success  in  bringing  in  the  white 
hart  with  the  golden  collar." 

Then  the  treacherous  forester  led  him  to  the  depth 
of  the  greenwood,  and  when  Ragnar's  feet  came  on 
the  covering  of  the  pitfall,  he  fell  in,  and  fell  among 
a  writhing  mass  of  snakes,  that  at  once  endeavoured 
to  fasten  on  him,  but  could  not  bite  him  because  of 
his  pitchy  garment. 

Then  Lodbrog  cried  out  to  Biorn  to  put  down  his 
hand  and  to  help  him  out.  Biorn  did  kneel  at  the 
edge  of  the  pit  and  put  down  his  arm  ;  but  when 
Lodbrog  laid  hold  of  his  hand,  the  forester  said, 
"  You  are  too  heavy,  burdened  with  your  hair  and 
pitch  jacket.      I  cannot  raise  you." 

So  Lodbrog  took  off  his  jacket  and  handed  it  up 
to  Biorn ;  and  then  the  forester  put  down  his  arm 
again. 

Again  he  said,  "  You  are  too  heavy.  I  cannot 
lift  you.      Take  off  your  hairy  breeks." 

"  If  I  do  that,  the  serpents  will  poison  me," 
259 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

answered  Ragnar.  "  Stay  a  while  till  I  have  killed 
the  vermin." 

Then  he  stamped  on  the  heads  of  the  adders  and 
scorpions  and  other  noxious  creatures,  till  he  had 
killed  them  all. 

"  Now,"  said  he,  "  I  have  no  cause  to  fear."  And  he 
pulled  off  his  hairy  breeks  and  handed  them  up  to  Biorn. 

When  the  forester  saw  that  Ragnar  was  thus 
deprived  of  his  sure  defence,  he  was  rejoiced,  and  he 
ran  to  a  place  where  he  had  collected  a  barrel  full 
of  writhing  adders  and  other  deadly  reptiles,  and  he 
rolled  the  barrel  to  the  edge  of  the  pit,  and  poured 
the  venomous  creatures  down  into  the  deep  place  in 
which  was  Ragnar. 

The  serpents  at  once  fastened  on  the  bare  flesh  of 
the  unhappy  man,  and  he  cried  out  in  agony  to  the 
huntsman,  but  Biorn  zvould  not  help  him.  Only 
Ragnar's  dog  ran  whining  round  and  round  the 
mouth  of  the  pit,  and  could  not  help  him. 

Then,  when  Ragnar  saw  that  he  must  die,  he  cast 
himself  down  and  let  the  serpents  bite  him,  and  he 
sang  a  great  song,  called  the  "  Crow  Song," — which 
is  one  of  the  most  ancient  poems  that  exists  in 
northern  lands.  In  this  song  Ragnar  told  the  story 
of  his  life  and  battles.      It  begins  thus  : — 

We  hew^d  with  our  hangers. 

'Twas  when  the  days  were  young-. 
And  in  Gothland  we  were  gangers, 

Where  the  deadly  dragon  stung. 
Oh,  and  there  the  serpent  cruel 

I  slew,  whom  I'd  defied  ; 
And  Thora,  by  that  duel, 

I  won  to  be  my  bride. 
260 


The  Story  of  King  Edmund 

This  "  Crow  Song  "  consists  of  twenty-nine  verses, 
and  the  rest  are  about  his  battles,  of  which  you  have 
not  been  told. 

When  the  wicked  forester  saw  that  Lodbrog  was 
dead,  then  he  returned  home ;  he  sounded  his  horn 
and  his  own  dogs  followed  him,  but  the  grey  wolf- 
hound that  had  been  with  Lodbrog,  and  which  King 
Edmund  had  given  to  his  visitor,  that  would  not 
leave  the  pit's  mouth. 

Next  day,  as  King  Edmund  sat  at  table,  he 
missed  his  friend  and  guest,  and  anxiously  asked  his 
servants  about  him  ;  on  which  Biorn  the  hunts- 
man answered  that  Ragnar  had  tarried  behind  in  a 
wood,  and  he  had  seen  no  more  of  him. 

But  as  he  was  speaking,  Lodbrog's  dog  came  into 
the  hall  and  began  to  wag  his  tail  and  fawn  on  all, 
and  especially  on  the  king ;  who,  on  seeing  him, 
said  to  his  attendants,  "  This  is  Lodbrog's  dog, 
vvhich  I  gave  him.  His  master  cannot  be  far 
behind." 

He  then  began  to  feed  the  dog,  hoping  soon  to 
see  his  master. 

But  he  was  disappointed,  for  when  the  wolf-hound 
had  satisfied  his  appetite,  he  returned  to  keep  his 
accustomed  watch  over  his  master's  body. 

After  three  days,  the  poor  beast  was  compelled 
by  hunger  to  return  to  the  king's  table,  and  Edmund, 
greatly  wondering,  gave  orders  to  follow  the  dog 
when  he  left  the  hall,  and  watch  whither  he  went. 

The  king's  servants  fulfilled  his  commands,  and 
followed  the  hound,  till  he  led  them  to  the  mouth 
of  the  pit   in  which   lay   Ragnar   Lodbrog,  stung  to 

261 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

death  by  vipers  and  other  venomous  beasts.  King 
Edmund  then  caused  diligent  inquisition  to  be  made 
touching  the  death  of  Lodbrog ;  and  Biorn  the 
huntsman  was  convicted  of  the  crime,  and  by  order 
of  the  king,  the  captains,  and  wise  men,  sentence  was 
passed  on  him. 

The  judges  agreed  that  the  forester  should  be  put 
in  the  same  boat  in  which  Lodbrog  had  come  to 
England,  and  should  be  exposed  on  the  sea  without 
oar  or  sail. 

Then  the  body  of  Ragnar  was  taken  up  out  of 
the  pit,  and  a  great  mound  was  made  over  him ; 
and  it  is  said  that  when  William  the  Conqueror 
came  to  England,  he  broke  into  this  mound,  and 
found  the  body  of  the  mighty  Danish  chief  and 
king's  son. 

Now  let  us  follow  the  murderer  Biorn  and  see 
what  became  of  him. 

A  wind  sprang  up  from  the  west  and  blew  him 
out  to  sea,  and  swept  him  on  for  many  days,  till  it 
cast  him  upon  the  Danish  coast. 

Now,  when  he  found  where  he  was,  that  he  had 
come  to  the  land  ruled  over  by  Ragnar's  sons,  then 
he  was  very  frightened,  and  in  the  subtlety  of  his 
heart  devised  means  how  he  might  escape  hurt  him- 
self, and  turn  evil  against  those  who  had  been  his 
judges. 

And  now  you  must  learn  that  Ragnar's  wife 
Thora  had  died  very  soon  after  she  had  given  him 
two  sons,  and  that  Ragnar  had  married  a  second 
wife,  who  had  given  him  more  sons.  You  must 
hear  the  story  of  this  second  wife,  whilst  Biorn  is  on 

262 


The  Story  of  King  Edmund 

his  way  to  the  court  of  Ragnar's  sons,  devising 
mischief  in  his  heart. 

After  Lodbrog  had  lost  his  wife  Thora,  whom 
he  had  deHvered  from  the  serpent,  he  was  very 
down-hearted,  and  he  sailed  about  the  seas  seeking 
adventures. 

One  evening  his  ship  put  into  a  little  narrow 
creek  or  firth  in  Norway,  and,  as  there  was  no  bread 
on  board,  he  bade  his  men  go  up  on  land  and  find 
some  farmhouse  where  they  might  get  loaves. 

So  the  men  walked  some  way  ;  at  length  they  saw 
a  light,  and,  on  nearing  it,  they  beheld  a  little  cottage, 
and  they  entered  and  found  an  old  woman. 

They  asked  her  to  knead  dough  for  them.  But 
she  said,  "  I  am  old,  and  my  arms  are  stiff.  My 
daughter  is  feeding  the  sheep ;  she  will  be  home 
soon,  and  she  will  serve  you." 

Presently  the  girl,  her  daughter,  came  in,  and  the 
men  were  amazed  when  they  saw  her.  She  was 
upright  as  a  pine,  and  her  hair  was  as  shining  gold, 
and  her  face  like  roses  and  snow.  They  thought 
they  had  never  seen  any  maid  so  fair,  and  they  said 
to  the  old  woman,  "  Is  this  your  daughter  ?  " 

She  answered,  "  Who  else  should  she  be  ?  her 
name  is  Crow." 

"  A  strange  crow  indeed,  with  shining  golden 
feathers  !  "  said  the  men.  "  And  that  she  should 
be  your  daughter  is  passing  strange." 

"  Why  should  it  be  passing  strange  ?  "  asked  the 
old  woman. 

Now  she  had  dark  skin  and  black  hair,  and  the 
men  thought  that  the  name  of  Crow  applied  to  her, 

263 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

and  not  at  all  to  her  daughter.  But  they  did  not 
wish  to  be  so  rude  as  to  say  this  right  out  in  so 
many  words,  but  they  answered,  "  This  is  the  first 
time  we  see  a  golden  oriol  hatched  out  of  an  old 
crow's  egg  in  an  old  crow's  nest." 

Then  the  girl  set  to  work  to  knead  the  dough, 
and  as  she  kneaded  she  sang,  and  the  men  could 
not  take  their  eyes  off  her,  so  beautiful  was  she,  and 
her  hair  was  so  long  that  it  flowed  down  to  her 
heels,  so,  as  she  was  kneading  bread,  she  took  and 
lashed  it  like  a  golden  girdle  round  her  waist. 

And  when  the  bread  was  kneaded,  then  the  men 
baked  it  at  the  hearth,  and  next  day  returned  with 
it  to  the  ship. 

Then  Ragnar  Lodbrog  heard  them  talking  of  the 
beautiful  girl,  and  he  became  impatient  when  they 
said  they  had  never  seen  anyone  so  lovely,  and  he 
exclaimed,  "  Is  she  as  fair  as  was  Thora  ?  " 

"  Indeed,"  answered  his  men,  "  she  is  far  fairer." 

Then  Ragnar  wrathfully  said,  "  Go  fetch  me 
this  fairest  maid  to-morrow,  and  if  she  be  not  so 
fair  as  Thora,  then  I  will  drive  you  out  of  my 
company." 

Presently  he  heard  the  men  say  how  clever  this 
strange  girl  was,  and  he  cried  out,  "  Clever  ?  she 
cannot  be  more  so  than  was  Thora." 

"  Indeed,"  answered  his  men,  "  she  seemed  to  us 
to  be  a  hundredfold  more  clever." 

"  Go,"  exclaimed  Ragnar,  "  bring  her  to  me  to- 
morrow, and  unless  she  prove  to  be  far  cleverer  than 
was  Thora,  I  will  hang  you  to  the  yard-arm." 

Now,  on  the  following  day  there  was  a  great 
264 


The  Story  of  King  Edmund 

storm,  and  the  men  could  not  get  to  the  cottage — 
they  were  driven  back.      So  they  told  the  king. 

He  bethought  himself,  and  he  said,  "  I  will  put 
this  Crow  to  the  proof.  If  she  be  clever  as  you 
say,  let  her  come  to  me  clothed  yet  bare,  fed  yet  not 
fed,  attended  yet  alone." 

So  the  next  day  the  men  went  again,  and  this 
time  the  weather  was  not  stormy,  and  they  reached 
the  cottage  and  gave  their  message. 

Then  Crow  said,  "  Go  back  to  the  king  your 
master  and  tell  him  I  will  come,  as  he  said,  to- 
morrow." 

Now,  when  the  men  returned  to  the  ships, 
Ragnar  raised  his  hand  and  said,  "If  that  Crow  be 
fair  as  you  say,  and  come  to  me  clothed  yet  bare, 
fed  yet  not  fed,  attended  yet  alone,  then  I  swear 
before  you  all,  I  will  make  her  my  wife."  For  he 
thought  it  was  not  possible.  Then  he  added,  "If 
she  be  not  what  you  say,  I  will  hang  you  all  up  to 
my  yard-arm  and  sail  away  with  you  strung  there." 

Next  morning  Crow  arose,  and  drew  round  her  a 
fishing  net  of  silk,  and  combed  out  her  hair  till  it 
covered  her  from  head  to  foot ;  then  she  took  a  leek 
and  walked,  chewing  it  as  she  went ;  and  called  her 
dog  and  bade  it  run  between  her  feet.  And  so  she 
went  to  the  sea-coast,  and  the  king  and  his  men 
stood  on  deck  and  saw  how  she  came  :  she  was  bare 
and  yet  clothed  with  the  fishing  net  and  her  rain  of 
golden  hair  about  her  ;  she  was  eating  a  leek  and 
yet,  as  there  was  nought  in  it,  she  was  not  full ;  she 
was  alone,  not  even  her  old  mother  with  her,  and 
yet  attended  by  her  dog. 

265 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Then  Ragnar  Lodbrog  ordered  Queen  Thora's 
silk  and  golden  garments  to  be  brought  out,  that 
Crow  should  be  arrayed  in  them.  And  when  she 
was  so  arrayed,  he  could  not  deny  that  she  was  as 
the  sun,  and  Thora  had  been  in  comparison  but  as 
the  moon. 

There  was  now  no  talking  of  hanging  the  men, 
but  only  of  his  marriage.  Yet  Crow  would  not 
agree  till  Ragnar  had  been  away  on  a  voyage  of 
two  years.  And  if  he  returned  in  two  years'  time, 
in  the  same  mind,  to  marry  a  poor  hag's  daughter, 
then  she  would  consent. 

So  King  Ragnar  sailed  away,  and  all  the  two  years 
he  was  absent  could  think  only  of  the  golden  Crow. 

At  the  end  of  the  time  he  came  back  to  the  same 
firth,  and  sent  for  the  fair  maid. 

Then  she  came  to  him  and  said,  "  As  you  desire 
me  to  be  your  wife,  I  will  tell  you  who  I  am.  I 
am  the  daughter  of  King  Sigurd,  and  he  was  basely 
murdered,  and  my  mother  died ;  so  I  have  been  in 
hiding  from  his  enemies  in  the  house  of  my  old 
nurse.  If  you  are  a  king's  son,  I  am  a  king's 
daughter.      My  real  name  is  not  Crow,  but  Aslauga." 

Then  a  grand  marriage  was  held,  and  Aslauga 
became  the  mother  of  five  sons.  So  Ragnar  was 
the  father,  in  all,  of  seven. 

Now  I  will  return  to  Biorn  on  his  way  to  the 
palace  of  Ragnar's  sons.  By  the  time  he  reached  it, 
he  had  made  up  a  story  which  he  would  tell. 

So  he  entered  the  great  hall  where  the  sons  were, 
and  he  went  up  to  the  high  seat  on  which  sat 
Hingvar,  and  saluted  him. 

266 


The  Story  of  King  Edmund 

Hingvar  asked  him  his  name,  and  who  he  was. 

Now  there  were  in  the  hall  at  the  time  only  four 
of  the  sons  of  Ragnar.  There  was  Hingvar  in  the 
high  seat.  Another  was  called  Hubba,  and  he  was 
scraping  a  spear-shaft,  standing  on  the  hall  floor. 
Another  was  called  Sigurd  Worm-in-the-eye ;  he 
was  cutting  his  nails  and  playing  draughts  with  his 
brother  Whitesark. 

Hingvar  asked  Biorn  whence  he  came,  and  what 
his  errand  was.  Then  the  treacherous  wretch  said 
that  he  came  from  England  and  from  King  Edmund. 
He  had  been  a  great  friend  of  Ragnar  and  had  at- 
tended him  ever  since  he  was  cast  up  upon  the 
Norfolk  shore.  He  went  on  to  say  that  Edmund 
had  foully  murdered  Ragnar,  and  he  had  done  this 
by  casting  him  into  a  pit  that  was  full  of  vipers 
which  had  stung  Lodbrog  to  death  ;  and  he  added 
that  he  had  done  this  by  the  advice  of  Ella,  King  oi 
Northumberland,  for  these  two  kings  had  agreed 
together  with  a  great  fleet  to  sail  to  Denmark  and 
subjugate  it  to  themselves.  Then  the  false  forester 
opened  a  bundle  and  showed  the  pitch  and  hair 
dress  of  Ragnar,  in  proof  of  the  truth  of  his 
story. 

It  is  told  that  whilst  Biorn  related  the  death  oi 
their  father,  the  four  sons  remained  still,  listening. 
Hingvar  turned  first  red  as  blood  and  then  white  as 
snow,  and  his  face  was  puffed  with  the  rage  that 
boiled  in  his  heart.  Hubba  gripped  the  spear-staff 
so  hard  that  every  finger  sank  into  the  wood  and 
left  its  impression  on  it.  Whitesark  clenched  the 
draught-board  so  tightly  that  the  blood  flowed  from 

267 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

under  his  nails  ;  and  Sigurd  cut  into  his  finger  to  the 
bone  without  noticing  what  he  had  done. 

There  was  silence  in  the  hall  for  some  minutes, 
and  then  the  brothers  solemnly  promised  to  avenge 
their  father. 

So  they  hasted  and  gathered  together  a  great 
fleet,  and  sailed  for  England.  They  landed  in 
Northumberland  and  ravaged  it,  and  then  marched 
south  till  they  came  to  the  territories  of  King 
Edmund. 

Now  the  king  had  a  palace  at  Hoxne,  and  he 
gathered  a  great  army,  and  a  furious  battle  was 
fought,  in  which  the  English  were  defeated,  and 
King  Edmund  fled.  As  he  was  pursued,  he  hid 
himself  under  a  bridge,  and  his  pursuers  galloped 
over  it,  thinking  he  was  ahead,  but  one  of  them, 
happening  to  look  into  the  water,  saw  there  some- 
thing shining,  and  he  drew  rein  to  look  more  closely. 
It  was  like  two  flames  in  the  water.  He  descended 
the  bank,  and  there  saw  the  king  in  hiding.  The 
sun,  shining  on  his  gold  spurs,  had  cast  the  luminous 
reflection  in  the  water,  and  this  had  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  Dane. 

Edmund  was  dragged  forth  and  taken  to  a  great 
oak  tree,  tied  to  it,  and  the  Danes  shot  at  him  with 
their  arrows,  till  they  were  tired  of  the  sport,  and 
then  they  cut  off  his  head  and  flung  it  into  the 
thicket. 

When  they  thought  it  might  be  done  safely,  some 
of  his  servants  who  had  been  in  concealment  came 
forth  and  searched  for  the  body.  This  they  soon 
found  ;    and  in  the  coppice  was  the  king's  head,  with 

268 


I 


The  Story  of  King  Edmund 

the  golden  crown  still  surrounding  the  brows,  and  it 
was  guarded  by  the  grey  wolf-hound  that  had  been 
given  by  Edmund  to  Ragnar,  and  which,  ever  since 
his  master's  death,  had  run  wild  in  the  forest. 

Now  the  tidings  of  the  king's  head  being  defended 
by  the  beast  was  talked  about ;  and  indeed  the  dog 
would  not  leave  the  remains  of  the  king,  any  more 
than  he  had  those  of  Ragnar. 

Then  Biorn,  who  was  with  the  Danish  host,  thought 
he  would  like  to  see  the  head  of  his  former  master, 
and  Hingvar  and  Hubba  gave  orders  that  the  head 
should  be  brought  into  the  hall. 

When  this  was  done,  the  wolf-hound  followed,  but 
no  sooner  did  he  see  the  traitor, — the  cause  of  the 
death  of  both  his  masters, — than  the  faithful  beast 
flew  at  Biorn  and  fastened  his  teeth  in  his  throat, 
and,  struggle  as  he  might,  the  forester  could  not 
throw  him  off.  The  hound  cast  him  on  the  ground 
and  stood  over  him,  looking  up  in  the  faces  of  the 
Danish  chiefs. 

Hingvar  and  Hubba  thought  that  there  must  be 
some  reason  for  the  wrath  of  the  dog  against  Biorn, 
so  they  called  to  them  some  of  the  captives,  who 
had  been  servants  to  King  Edmund,  and  asked  if 
they  knew  him. 

They  replied  that  he  was  a  traitor  and  a  murderer, 
and  told  how  Edmund  had  received  Ragnar  Lodbrog, 
and  treated  him  kindly,  and  how  that  the  forester 
had  murdered  him,  by  casting  him  into  a  pit  of 
vipers,  and  how  that  the  king  and  his  wise  men  had 
sentenced  Biorn  to  be  sent  adrift  at  sea  in  an  open 
boat. 

269 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

When  Hingvar  and  Hubba  heard  this,  they  were 
very  sorry  that  they  had  been  so  deceived,  and  they 
ordered  the  wolf-dog  to  leave  the  prostrate  man. 

Then  the  hound  obeyed,  and  Biorn  was  fast  bound. 
The  brothers  commanded  him  to  show  them  the  pit 
in  which  their  father  had  perished,  and  this  he  did. 
Then  they  ordered  it  to  be  filled  with  poisonous 
reptiles,  and  the  wicked  forester  to  be  cast  in,  that  he 
might  die  in  the  same  manner  as  he  had  contrived 
the  death  of  their  father. 

After  that,  they  made  for  King  Edmund  a  splendid 
funeral,  and  he  was  buried  at  a  place  then  called 
Bodricksworth,  but  ever  since  that  time  it  has  been 
known  as  Bury  Saint  Edmunds. 

Note. — We  have  two  versions  of  the  story  of  the  sons  of  Ragnar 
Lodbrog-  coming-  to  England  ;  one  is  that  in  the  Icelandic  Saga  of 
Ragnar  and  his  sons,  and  the  other  is  that  told  by  Roger  of 
Wendover  in  his  Flowers  of  History,^ \\v\iien  about  1200.  No 
doubt  he  took  the  story  of  Lodbrog  and  King  Edmund  from  a 
ballad. 

The  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  says,  under  date  870:  "This 
year  the  army  (of  the  Danes)  rode  across  Mercia,  into  East 
Anglia,  and  took  up  their  winter  quarters  at  Thetford.  And  the 
same  winter  King  Edmund  fought  against  them,  and  the  Danes 
got  the  victory,  and  slew  the  king  and  subdued  the  land,  and 
destroyed  all  the  minsters  which  they  came  to.  The  names  of 
their  chiefs  who  slew  the  king  were  Ingvar  and  Hubba." 

The  most  genuine  account  of  King  Edmund,  next,  of  course,  to 
this  scanty  mention  in  the  Chronicle,  is  a  life  written  by  Abbo  ot 
Fleury,  by  command  of  St.  Dunstan,  in  980. 

The  Norse  version  of  the  story  and  the  English  version  are 
very  different,  and  I  have  ventured  to  combine  both,  and  attempt 
some  sort  of  reconciliation  between  the  two. 


270 


XIV 

DESIDERATUS 


On  a  time  it  was  that  there  lived  in  Scotland  a  noble 
vavasor  and  his  wife,  whom  he  loved  full  well,  and 
she  was  good  and  wise. 

There  was  but  one  thing  made  them  sad,  which 
was  that  they  had  no  child. 

Now  one  day  the  lady  said  to  the  vavasor, 
"  Sweet  friend,  I  have  heard  that  far  away  in  the 
south  is  the  tomb  of  the  holy  hermit  Giles,  and  it 
lieth  in  fair  Provence.  It  has  been  related  to  me 
how  that  many  have  made  petition  where  his  bones 
lie,  and  have  had  their  petitions  heard  and  answered. 
It  seemeth  well  to  me,  if  it  pleaseth  thee,  that  we 
should  make  journey  to  St.  Giles,  and  seek  if  there 
the  desire  of  our  hearts  may  be  attained." 

Then  answered  her  the  vavasor,  "  x'\s  thou  desirest, 
sweetheart,  so  shall  it  be  ;  and  I  vow  unto  St.  Giles 
a  figure  all  of  pure  silver,  if  he  hears  our  request." 
So  they  made  their  carriage  and  went,  and  prayed 
right  humbly,  that  if  it  pleased  God,  He  would  give 
i8  273 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

to  them  a  child,  and  that  the  hermit  Giles  might 
forward  their  petition. 

And  when  they  returned  to  Calder  in  Scotland 
where  they  dwelled,  it  was  even  so,  that  a  child  was 
given  to  them,  a  son  ;  and  they  called  his  name 
Desideratus,  that  is  to  say,  "  the  Desired  One." 

The  child  was  very  comely  and  blithe,  and  all 
thought  that  they  had  never  seen  a  lovelier  and  kindlier 
boy.  He  grew  up  at  home  till  he  reached  man's 
estate,  and  was  the  joy  and  pride  of  his  father  and 
mother. 

Now,  when  he  was  of  age  to  go  forth  and  see  men 
and  learn  courtesy,  then  did  his  father  send  him  to 
the  court  of  the  Scottish  king. 

The  king  held  him  right  dear,  and  dubbed  him 
knight,  and  after  he  had  been  a  while  at  court,  and 
had  won  the  favour  of  all  there  through  his  gracious 
manners  and  his  well-favoured  face,  then  he  bethought 
himself  of  wending  farther,  and  he  departed  thence, 
and  visited  Normandy  and  Brittany,  where  he  rode 
in  many  a  tournament  and  unhorsed  many  a  proved 
knight. 

And  it  was  so,  in  France  likewise,  that  all  looked 
with  pleasure  on  Desideratus  and  loved  him,  for  he 
was  courteous  to  high  and  to  low,  and  debonair,  and 
withal  of  a  bright  and  beautiful  countenance. 

Now,  when  ten  years  were  over,  then  Desideratus 
greatly  longed  to  return  to  his  own  land,  and  to  see 
again  his  father  and  his  mother,  and  to  serve  the 
Scottish  king. 

So  he  mounted  a  ship,  he  with  his  horse,  and 
committed  himself  to  the  winds  and  waves.      But  the 

274 


Desideratus 

winds  were  favourable,  and  the  waves  did  but  play 
and  drift  around  the  sides  of  the  ship.  The  seabirds 
fluttered  overhead  and  cried,  and  the  sun  glittered 
in  the  dancing  wavelets.  There  was  never  a  storm 
all  the  while  that  Desideratus  was  at  sea,  and  at  length 
the  prow  was  turned  in  at  the  Firth  of  Forth  and 
Desideratus  and  his  horse  came  on  shore,  and  he 
mounted  and  rode  to  fair  Edinburgh  and  presented 
himself  before  the  king,  who  was  fain  again  to  see 
him.  But  there  was  sad  tidings  for  the  young  man, 
for  his  father  was  dead.  Then  the  king  committed 
to  him  in  fee  the  land  that  his  father  had  held,  and 
he  dismissed  him,  that  he  should  go  and  see' and 
comfort  his  mother ;  and  when  he  departed  it  was 
the  feast  of  Pentecost,  and  all  the  bells  were  ringing, 
and  the  sun  was  shining,  and  clerks  were  singing  in 
every  church. 

Then  was  it  fair  springtide,  and  as  Desideratus 
rode  along  his  way,  he  wondered  to  see  how  goodly 
the  land  was.  Fair  was  Normandy,  and  fair  Bretagne, 
but  fairer  far  was  bonnie  Scotland.  And  as  he  rode 
along  the  king's  highway,  all  were  keeping  holiday, 
and  the  maids  were  in  their  best  kirtles,  and  their  hair 
bound  up  with  ribbons  and  flowers,  and  some  did 
dance,  and  some  did  sing;  but  as  Desideratus  rode  by, 
all  ceased,  and  looked,  and  admired  the  goodly  knight. 

Then  thought  Desideratus,  Fair  maids  have  I  seen 
in  Normandy,  and  nut-brown  maids  in  Bretagne,  but 
never  such  bonnie  lassies  as  in  Scotland. 

Now  he  rode  along  till  he  came  into  a  forest,  and 
the  birds  were  singing,  and  the  flowers  blooming, 
and   the   bees   were  humming,  as  though  all  nature 

275 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

kept  the  coming  of  the  Blessed  Spirit  whose  is  the 
breath  of  life. 

Now  Desideratus  wore  silver  armour,  and  over  it  a 
garment  "  white  as  flowers  in  April,"  and  about  his 
shoulders  was  a  fresh  green  mantle.  His  spurs  were 
of  gold,  but  not  more  shining  were  they  than  his 
locks  that  flowed  from  under  his  bassinet. 

After  long  riding,  then,  Desideratus  remembered 
that  in  this  forest  sojourned  a  holy  hermit,  who  by 
his  cell  had  a  little  chapel,  the  which  he  served  in 
godly  fashion.  Ofttimes  as  a  boy,  when  hunting 
with  his  father,  had  he  been  there,  and  there  had 
received  kind  welcome  and  hospitality.  Thither 
now  he  turned,  but  he  could  not  light  thereon ;  only 
at  set  of  sun  he  came  to  an  opening  in  the  forest 
where  was  a  spring  of  pure  water,  and  by  this  spring 
stood  a  fair  maid  with  a  garment  of  purple  over  her 
white  shift ;  she  was  barefooted  in  the  grass  now 
wet  with  the  falling  dew.  In  each  hand  she  held  a 
golden  bowl,  and  she  stooped  to  the  fountain, 
and  dipped,  and  filled  the  bowls  with  water. 

Then  Desideratus  alighted  from  off  his  horse,  and 
he  came  to  the  fair  maid,  and  he  asked  her  whether  she 
could  guide  him  to  the  habitation  of  the  holy  hermit. 

She  answered  him  that  of  hermit  she  knew  none, 
but  that  her  mistress  lived  hard  by,  and  would  render 
to  him  hospitality. 

Then  she  went  before,  and  he  followed,  leading  his 
destrier.  They  went  along  till  they  came  to  an  elder- 
bush,  and  though  the  season  for  the  elder  to  flower 
was  not  yet,  nevertheless  the  bush  was  thick  set  with 
white  bunches  and  with  green  leaves,  and  withal  was 

276 


Desideratus 

such  a  tangle  of  little  boughs,  that  Desideratus  could 
not  see  through  this  flowery  screen.  But  the  fair 
maid  parted  the  leaves  and  lifted  a  bough,  and  the 
knight  stepped  under,  but  was  constrained  to  let  his 
horse  remain  behind,  letting  go  the  bridle. 

Before  him  he  saw  a  pleasant  lawn, and  a  lady  seated 
in  a  tent  of  cloth  of  silver,  and  she  was  as  white  in 
her  apparel  as  the  plume  of  a  swan,  and  so  lovely 
that  Desideratus  thought  that  verily  he  had  seen 
none  lovelier,  wherever  he  had  been. 

She  signed  to  the  damsel,  who  came  forward 
carrying  the  golden  bowls,  and  she  inquired  whom 
she  had  brought  with  her.  The  damsel  answered 
and  told  the  lady  all  she  knew. 

Then  the  beautiful  lady  signed  to  Desideratus  to 
draw  nigh ;  and  when  he  was  drawn  nigh,  she  smiled 
and  said,  "  Art  thou  content  to  be  my  lord,  and  I  thy 
lady  ?  If  so,  then  pledge  me  in  this  bowl  of  crystal 
water." 

Desideratus  answered  and  said,  "  I  am  whatever 
thou  wouldst  have  me  to  be." 

Then  she  stirred  the  water  in  one  bowl  with  a 
little  blue  flower  that  she  held,  and  she  passed  the 
vessel  to  him,  and  he  drank. 

And  forthwith,  or  ever  he  had  sipped  of  the 
water,  he  forgot  all  that  had  passed.  He  remembered 
no  more  of  his  father  and  mother  and  his  home, 
nor  of  the  Scottish  king.  Nor  thought  he  of  his 
destrier  whom  he  had  left  outside  the  screen  of 
flowering  elder;  and  thus  there  passed  a  twelvemonth 
and  a  day,  and  it  was  to  Desideratus  as  a  dream  of 
the  night.      And   there  fell  no  leaves  from  the  trees, 

277 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

nor  did  the  grass  wither,  nor  the  flowers  fade.  There 
fell  no  rain  nor  snow,  neither  did  stormy  winds  blow 
and  shake  the  branches  of  the  trees  above  their  heads. 

Now  it  chanced  that  Desideratus  felt  his  lips 
parched,  and  he  stretched  forth  his  hand  to  take  the 
golden  bowl  and  drink  again  of  the  pure  water  he 
had  tasted.  But,  as  it  fell  out,  he  reached  the  bowl 
of  water  the  lady  had  not  stirred.  Forthwith,  or  ever 
he  had  drunk  a  draught,  he  remembered  all  the  past, 
and  was  filled  with  wonder  as  to  where  he  was. 
Then,  all  at  once,  he  heard  a  bell  ringing,  and  he  felt 
a  desire  to  kneel  in  God's  house,  and  to  pray,  and 
hear  sweet  singing  of  psalms. 

Thereat  Desideratus  started  up  to  go  forth  out  of 
the  tent,  and  he  saw  the  beautiful  lady  standing 
before  him.  He  said  to  her,  "  I  hear  a  bell.  I  must 
to  prayer.  I  must  home  to  my  mother  and  to 
my  house,  and  see  her,  and  then  return  to  the  king 
my  master." 

Now,  when  the  lady  heard  this,  she  was  sad,  and 
wept,  and  she  drew  a  golden  ring  from  her  finger  and 
put  it  upon  his,  and  said,  "  It  must  needs  be  that  thou 
depart.  Speak  to  no  one  of  what  thou  hast  seen,  and 
of  me,  and  where  thou  hast  tarried.  Wear  this  ring, 
and  think  of  me,  and  when  thou  desirest  to  return, 
then  turn  it  about  on  thy  finger.  But  if  thou  speak 
of  me,  then  the  ring  will  vanish  away,  and  thou 
shalt  see  me  no  more  till  thou  hast  recovered  it." 

He  thanked  her,  and  went  forth  and  passed  under 
the  flowering  elder,  and  he  heard  the  bell  tolling, 
and  he  went  on,  and  then  there  neighed  a  horse,  and 
there  ran  up  to  him  his  own  destrier. 

278 


Desideratus 

Then  he  saw  a  hermit's  cell,  and  ringing  the  bell 
was  the  old  hermit  with  whom  he  had  lodged,  he  and 
his  father,  the  vavasor,  in  former  days.  Now  the 
hermit  was  very  aged,  and  of  a  reverend  aspect,  with 
hair  and  beard  white  as  a  snowdrift. 

The  old  religious  man  was  surprised  when  he  saw 
Desideratus,  and  left  off  ringing  the  bell,  and  he 
said,"  Where  hast  thou  been,  my  son  ?  Thy  horse 
came  here  on  Pentecost  last  year.  And  now  there 
is  passed  a  year  and  a  day  that  I  have  cared  for 
him  and  stabled  him,  and  only  to-day  dost  thou 
appear." 

Then  Desideratus  was  full  of  wonder,  and  he  wist 
not  with  whom  he  had  been,  and  whether  it  had  been 
a  work  of  enchantment. 

So  he  said  to  the  hermit  that  he  would  tell  him 
all,  and  take  his  counsel.  And  so  he  kneeled  him 
down  and  made  confession  of  what  had  come  to 
pass. 

Then  the  hermit  said,  "  I  cannot  tell  thee  who 
and  what  manner  of  woman  that  was  with  whom 
thou  hast  been.  This  is  a  wood  full  of  enchantments. 
I  know  full  well  that  Satan  and  his  angels  seek  the 
destruction  of  men,  and  can  change  themselves  into 
forms  of  angels  of  light.  But  it  may  be  that  thou 
hast  been  in  the  presence  and  company  of  the  elves, 
which  are  creations  of  God,  and  wondrous  fair,  but 
have  no  human  souls,  and  they  live  a  while,  and  then 
their  lives  cease  like  the  extinguishing  of  a  lamp. 
And  they  can  alone  win  an  immortal  soul  by  union 
with  one  of  the  children  of  Adam.  Therefore  do 
they  seek  them.     But  this  I  lay  on  thee — if  thou  see 

279 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

that  fair  lady  again,  then  be  to  her  as  a  stranger, 
unless  she  will  come  to  thee  to  the  church  of  God, 
and  there  thy  union  be  consecrated  and  blessed  by  a 
priest." 

Now,  when  he  had  said  this,  then  Desideratus 
stood  up,  and  he  looked  on  his  hand,  and  lo  !  the 
ring  was  vanished  clean  away. 

Thereat  was  Desideratus  full  of  sorrow  at  heart. 
And  he  tarried  all  night,  and  next  morning,  at  the 
breaking  of  the  day,  he  kneeled  in  the  chapel  and 
heard  the  service  of  Almighty  God  sung  by  the 
hermit,  and  then  forth  he  fared,  and  he  rode  till  he 
reached  Calder,  and  came  to  his  home. 

But  his  mother  was  dead  as  well  as  his  father,  and 
he  cared  not  to  remain  ;  and,  after  some  days,  he 
departed,  and  rode  through  the  forest  of  Caledon,  and 
came  again  to  Edinburgh  to  the  king  his  master. 

And  he  served  him  four  years.  But  he  was  not 
as  he  had  been.  He  was  ever  sad,  thinking  of  the 
fair  lady  in  the  forest,  and  wondering  who  she  might 
be,  and  grieving  sore  that  he  had  lost  the  ring. 

Now  it  fell  out  one  [day,  when  he  and  the  king 
were  hunting  a  stag  in  the  forest,  that  they  beheld  a 
white  hart  that  had  a  circlet  of  gold  about  its  neck, 
and  they  gave  it  chase,  and  presently  they  came 
upon  it,  and  the  hart  was  on  the  green  herb  beside  a 
spring  and  a  fair  boy  stood  sheltering  it  under  his 
arm,  and  he  had  a  little  bow,  from  which  he  could 
shoot  straws,  and  he  held  this  up  and  cried  that  he 
would  slay  those  who  pursued  the  hart,  if  they  drew 
nearer  and  did  a  harm  to  the  gentle  beast. 

Then   the  king   laughed,  and   he  and  Desideratus 
280 


Desideratus 

alighted  and  drew  near  to  the  boy ;  and  never  had 
they  seen  so  beautiful  a  child — his  eyes  were  blue  as 
forget-me-nots  and  his  hair  as  spun  gold. 

Then  it  happened  that  when  they  were  nigh  him 
Desiderius  spied  a  gold  ring  that  hung  about  the 
boy's  neck,  and  he  knew  it  again,  and  he  cried  and 
said,  "  My  son,  whose  is  that  ring  ?  where  didst  thou 
get  it  ?  " 

And  the  boy  answered  and  said,  "  That  is  my 
father's  ring  and  he  is  away,  and  none  know  where 
he  may  be.  But  even  if  we  did  know,  my  mother 
may  not  see  him  again,  for  forty  knights  keep  guard 
about  her  day  and  night,  with  swords  drawn  to  slay 
my  father  should  he  come." 

Then  Desideratus  took  the  child  and  kissed  him, 
and  wept  sore  and  said,  "  Thou  art  my  very  son, 
and  I  will  take  the  ring  again,  then  haply  I  may 
find  thy  mother." 

So  he  took  the  ring  and  set  it  on  his  finger  again. 
And  lo  !  the  child  and  the  white  hart  had  vanished 
clean  away. 

After  this,  Desideratus  had  no  rest  in  his  spirit  for 
the  thoughts  of  his  elfin  wife  and  half  elfin  child. 
He  was  so  sad  that  the  king  grieved  for  him  and 
said,  "  It  is  not  well  that  it  should  be  so.  Go  into 
the  great  forest  of  Caledon  and  see  if  thou  canst 
not  find  her  whom  thou  lovest." 

Then  Desideratus  was  glad,  and  he  rode  from 
court  and  entered  into  the  forest  and  disappeared 
under  its  green  leaves  and  among  its  shadows. 

Now,  as  he  entered,  there  had  been  haymakers 
without,  tossing  the  sweet  hay  with  their  rakes ;  and 

281 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

they  looked  at  him  and  wondered,  and  said,  "  Of  a 
certainty  never  have  we  seen  a  comelier  knight,  nor 
one  of  a  more  sorrowful  countenance." 

It  fell  out  that,  after  many  hours'  riding,  Desideratus 
came  to  a  glade  in  the  wood  where  sprang  up  a 
crystal  spring  and  formed  a  pool,  and  then  flowed 
away  in  a  small  rill.  Beside  this  spring  was  a 
dwarf,  and  he  had  in  his  hands  two  golden  bowls, 
and  these  he  essayed  to  fill  with  water  at  the  pool. 
But,  forasmuch  as  the  dwarf  was  very  small  and  the 
sides  of  the  pool  were  steep,  no  sooner  were  the 
bowls  filled  than  they  overbalanced  the  dwarf,  and 
he  fell  into  the  water.  Speedily  he  scrambled  out, 
never  letting  go  his  hold  of  the  bowls.  But,  in  his 
efforts  to  escape  out  of  the  pool,  he  spilt  all  the 
water  out  of  his  bowls.  Then,  again,  he  kneeled 
and  dipped,  and  again  overbalanced  himself  and  fell 
head  foremost  into  the  spring. 

Desideratus,  seated  on  his  horse,  sat  and  watched 
the  little  dwarf,  and  sorrowed  for  his  useless  trouble. 
So  he  lighted  off  his  steed,  and  went  to  the  dwarf, 
and  filled  his  bowls  with  water  for  him. 

The  little  dwarf  was  vastly  pleased,  and  thanked 
him,  and  hoisted  one  bowl  on  one  shoulder  and  one 
on  the  other  to  carry  them.  But  they  were  thus 
too  heavy  for  him  to  convey,  and  he  stumbled  and 
spilled  all  the  water  again.  Whereupon  he  began  to 
howl  and  cry. 

Then  Desideratus  filled  the  bowls  again  at  the 
spring  and  bade  the  dwarf  be  of  good  cheer,  he 
would  carry  them  home  for  him. 

"  I  know  not  how  that  may  be,  fair  sir,"  said  the 
282 


Desideratus 

dwarf.  "  1  was  sent  by  my  mistress,  the  princess  of 
Elfland,  and  the  door  of  her  palace  is  guarded  with 
warriors  armed  cap  a  pie  who  will  never  let  thee  pass. 
This  only  canst  thou  do.  Take  them  to  the  door- 
step and  set  them  down  there,  then  I  will  call  forth 
Blanchebelle,  her  waiting-maid,  and  she  will  help  me 
carry  them  to  my  lady's  chamber." 

Now  Desideratus  carried  the  golden  bowls  easily 
one  in  each  hand,  and  he  passed  under  an  elder-bush 
and  was  at  once  in  Elfland.  He  saw  before  him 
the  palace  of  the  king  of  the  elves  ;  and  he  drew  to 
the  door. 

Then  said  the  dwarf,  "  Fair  sir,  for  thy  service  I 
thank  thee.  Set  down  the  bowls  here  and  I  will  have 
them  conveyed  to  my  lady." 

"  None  shall  convey  them  but  myself,"  said 
Desideratus. 

"  That  may  not  be,"  said  the  dwarf. 

Then  Desideratus  declared  he  would  return  and 
carry  the  bowls  away  with  him  unless  the  dwarf 
showed  him  the  way  to  the  chamber  of  his  lady. 

Now,  when  the  dwarf  saw  his  determination,  he 
considered  and  said,  "  Thou  must  ascend  by  a 
ladder  to  her  window,  and  that  thou  must  do  carry- 
ing one  of  the  bowls  in  thy  hand.  And  when  thou 
art  nigh  the  top  of  the  ladder,  scratch  with  thy  nail 
on  the  bowl  and  it  will  whine.  Then  the  fair  maid, 
Blanchebelle,  will  look  forth,  and  when  she  sees  thee, 
she  will  know  what  to  do." 

Thereupon  Desideratus  was  glad,  and  he  went  to 
the  window,  and  there  was  a  ladder  set  against  it, 
and  he  ascended  thereby,  carrying  the  golden  bowl. 

283 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

But  when  he  was  nigh  the  top,  he  scratched  the  bowl, 
and  it  began  to  whine  and  whimper. 

Then  the  fair  Blanchebelle  looked  forth  and  said, 
"  What  aileth  my  pretty  golden  bowl  ?  " 

And  straightway  she  saw  Desideratus  on  the  ladder 
below.  Then  she  plucked  a  blue  flower  out  ot 
her  hair,  and  with  it  she  stirred  the  water  in  the 
bowl  and  then  withdrew  the  flower,  and  he  saw  her 
no  more. 

Now  it  was  so,  that  the  fair  princess  of  the  elves 
was  asleep  within  on  a  couch,  and  her  little  child 
was  also  asleep  in  her  arms.  But  round  about 
were  forty  knights  of  elfin  race,  louting  on  one  knee, 
their  faces  turned  outward,  and  all  with  swords  drawn 
and  pointed. 

Now  Blanchebelle  went  with  the  blue  flower 
dipped  in  the  water  of  the  well  that  was  in  the 
golden  bowl  Desideratus  held  aloft,  and  with  it 
laughingly  she  touched  the  eyes  of  the  kneeling 
knights. 

Forthwith  they  all  fell  asleep. 

Then  she  returned  to  the  window  and  took  the 
bowl  out  of  the  hands  of  Desideratus  and  bade  him 
enter. 

"  Now,"  said  she,  "  I  pray  thee  be  speedy,  for  the 
knights  sleep  only  for  a  moment." 

Thereat  he  leaped  in,  but,  in  so  doing,  his  foot 
slipped  and  he  fell  on  one  of  the  swords,  which 
wounded  his  side  full  sore.  And  with  the  noise  of 
his  fall,  the  knights  waked  and  looked  about  them, 
and  started  to  their  feet. 

But  Desideratus  sprang  to  the  side  of  the  couch  on 
284 


Desideratus 

which  lay  the  sleeping  lady,  and   from  her  arms  he 
lifted  the  child  and  carried  it  away. 

"  Fly  !  or  they  will  slay  thee,"  said  Blanchebelle, 
and  she  sprinkled  more  of  the  water  over  the 
knights,  and  again  they  closed  their  eyes  and  were 
still. 

Now  Desideratus  hasted  down  the  ladder,  carrying 
the  child,  and  he  fled,  and  went  under  the  elder-bush, 
and  came  forth,  and  found  his  horse  where  he  had 
bound  it.  Then  he  mounted,  and,  carrying  the 
sleeping  boy,  whose  face  he  kissed,  he  rode  away. 

But  the  wound  in  his  side  bled,  and  he  was  weak, 
and  he  could  but  reach  the  hermit's  cell,  where  he 
put  the  child  into  the  ancient  man's  hands,  and,  so 
done,  he  fell  off  his  horse  in  a  swound  on  the  green 
herbage. 

Now  it  must  be  told  how  that  the  ancient  hermit 
nursed  and  cared  for  Desideratus,  and  he  was  speedily 
better,  yet  the  wound  would  not  heal. 

And  the  hermit  said  to  him,  "  It  has  been 
revealed  to  me  that  the  wound  thou  hast  received  is 
from  an  elfin  sword,  and  that  no  balm  of  mortal 
men  can  cure  it,  only  can  it  be  closed  and  thy  blood 
staunched  by  the  touch  of  thy  elfin  wife's  hand. 
For  there  runs  a  vein  from  that  wound  direct  to  the 
heart,  and  there  is  never  a  hand  in  Christendom  and 
Elfdom  that  can  heal  it,  save  that  of  the  princess  thy 
wife.      But  how  that  may  be,  I  know  not." 

Then  said  to  him  Desideratus,  "  Take  my  child 
and  give  him  holy  baptism,  and  call  him  Tristam, 
for  that  I  am  sad  at  being  parted  from  her  I  love 
better  than  my  life." 

285 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

But  the  hermit  said,  "  I  will  go  with  thee  to 
court,  and  I  will  ask  the  king  himself  to  stand 
sponsor  to  the  boy." 

Then  Desideratus  mounted  his  horse,  but  slowly, 
slowly  did  he  ride,  for  that  his  wound  was  sore, 
and  as  he  went,  ever  and  anon  did  the  blood 
run  out,  and  fell  on  the  green  grass  and  the 
leaves. 

As  to  the  ancient  hermit,  he  walked  at  his  side 
and  carried  the  child,  that  laughed  and  was  merry 
and  prattled. 

So  they  went  on  to  fair  Edinburgh.  But  as  they 
came  forth  out  of  the  wood,  there  was  a  wain,  and 
it  was  full  of  hay,  and  the  haymakers  were  about  to 
carry  the  last  load.  Then,  when  they  saw  how 
white  and  wan  and  wounded  was  the  comely  knight, 
and  how  ancient  and  venerable  was  the  hermit, 
and  burdened  with  bearing  of  the  boy,  they  cried 
out  with  one  accord  that  Desideratus  and  the 
holy  man  and  the  child  should  ride  on  top  of 
the  hay. 

And  it  was  so. 

Now,  as  this  was  the  last  load,  all  the  wain  was 
adorned  with  flowers  and  coloured  ribbons,  and  in 
front  was  a  pole  with  a  wreath  hung  thereto. 

So  the  haymakers  said,  "  Whither  shall  we  take 
the  wounded  knight  ?  " 

And  the  ancient  religious  man  said,  "  To  Edin- 
burgh, to  the  king's  high  court." 

And  it  was  so. 

Now,  when  the  hay-cart  drew  up  before  the  gates 
of  the  palace,  folk  laughed  to  see  the  beautiful  little 

286 


Desideratus 

boy  seated  in  the  sweet  hay,  holding  the  pole  with 
the  wreath  of  wild  roses  and  ribbons  in  front,  Then 
they  marvelled  to  behold  the  reverend  man  come 
down ;  and  they  were  moved  with  pity  when  the 
haymakers  lifted  the  bleeding  knight  from  the  wain 
and  bore  him  into  the  palace.  But  as  for  the  child, 
he  carried  the  staff  with  the  wreath  before  them,  and 
had  no  fear  going  up  the  stair  to  the  hall  where  sat 
the  king  on  his  throne. 

Now,  when  the  Scottish  king  saw  what  had  taken 
place,  and  heard  the  report  of  the  ancient  hermit,  then 
he  was  marvellously  glad  to  see  the  pretty  boy,  and 
he  promised  that  forthwith  he  would  be  his  sponsor. 
But  right  grieved  was  he  to  see  how  sorely  wounded 
was  his  favourite  knight. 

He  sent  for  all  the  healers  and  physicians,  that 
they  might  heal  the  grievous  wound,  but  they  availed 
naught.  And  as  Desideratus  had  spilled  much  of 
his  blood,  all  greatly  feared  that  he  must  shortly  die. 

He  said  that  he  desired  to  see  his  son  made  into  a 
Christian  man,  and  all  prepared  to  haste  to  the 
church,  where  the  king  would  hold  the  child  and  give 
to  it  the  name  it  was  to  bear. 

Now,  just  as  they  were  preparing  to  go  to  the 
church,  and  the  haymakers  had  lifted  up  the  wounded 
knight  to  carry  him  thither,  there  came  riding  into 
the  hall  a  lady  so  beautiful  that  all  the  place  was 
filled  with  light  as  from  sunshine.  She  rode  on  a 
cream-white  palfrey  with  sky-blue  trappings  set  with 
silver ;  and  behind  her  rode  another  maid,  on  a  white 
ass,  and  they  lighted  down  before  the  king  and  did 
him  homage. 

287 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Then  said  the  chief  lady,  "  I  am  come,  sire,  to  heal 
my  husband.  I  have  escaped  out  of  Elfinland,  and 
I  never  could  have  found  him  but  by  the  blood  track 
all  the  way  on  the  grass  and  the  green  leaves  and 
the  flowers.  Moreover,  sir  king,  I  never  could 
have  escaped  out  of  Elfinland  but  by  stepping  on  his 
blood.      See  how  the  soles  of  my  feet  are  marked." 

She  showed  her  feet,  and  there  was  blood  on 
them. 

"  I  am  the  daughter  of  the  elf  king,  and  he  has  no 
other  child  but  me ;  and  I  must  reign  and  rule  after 
him  in  the  realm  of  elves.  Therefore  he  would 
retain  me  there,  and  have  me  take  to  my  husband 
one  of  the  elfin  race. 

"  But  ever  have  I  longed  for  a  human  soul  and  the 
life  of  immortality.  Therefore,  when  Desideratus 
came  into  Elfinland,  I  took  him  to  be  my  husband, 
and  a  son  was  born  to  me ;  and  my  father  drew  an 
enchantment  about  me,  that  I  should  not  go  to 
Desideratus,  nor  he  come  to  me.  Nevertheless, 
through  all  dangers  and  opposition  he  thrust  his  way, 
and  he  carried  off  my  son ;  and  yet  I  could  not  have 
won  my  way  out  had  not  my  husband's  blood  broken 
the  enchanted  ring,  and  only  upon  human  blood 
could  I  tread  and  go  forth." 

Then  the  king  was  joyful,  and  he  answered  the 
lady  fair,  and  said  that  he  would  stand  sponsor  to  the 
child,  and  she  should  live  ever  in  the  court  of  Scot- 
land and  be  in  great  esteem. 

But  she  said,  "  Sire,  that  may  not  be.  I  must 
return  to  mine  own  land ;  but  suffer  me  first  to  kiss 
and  to  heal  my  husband." 

288 


Deslderatus 

Thereupon  she  went  to  where  Desideratus  lay,  and 
she  kissed  his  lips,  and  touched  his  side,  and  his 
blood  staunched,  and  he  rose,  and  was  well  once 
more. 

He  said,  "  And  now,  of  a  surety,  we  must  be 
Christianly  married,  as  the  hermit  bade  of  old." 

And  she  said,  "  It  shall  be  so,  only  consider  thou. 
As  it  is,  I  must  return  to  Elfinland,  and  I  may 
return  alone ;  but  if  I  go  alone,  then  the  king  my 
father  will  marry  me  to  an  elfin  lord,  and  I  shall 
never  come  forth  again,  but  sorrow  will  consume  me, 
and  I  shall  die  of  sheer  grief  But  and  if  thou  and 
I  be  Christianly  married,  and  blessed  and  sained  by 
a  priest,  then  the  king  my  father,  and  no  power  in 
earth  or  hell,  can  ever  part  us.  Only  this  must  follow 
— that  thou  come  with  me  and  reign  in  Elfinland, 
and  return  to  the  world  of  men  no  more.  Make 
thine  election  which  it  shall  be." 

Then  Desideratus  took  her  hand  and  led  her  to  the 
altar,  and  bade  a  priest  bless  them.  And  after  that 
the  child  was  baptised. 

Now  there  was  feasting  and  merriment  that  night. 
But  in  the  middle  of  the  banquet  there  came  into 
the  hall  the  white  palfrey,  and  the  cream-coloured  ass, 
and  the  destrier  of  the  knight  Desideratus,  and  no 
man  led  them,  and  they  stayed  in  the  hall. 

Then  the  lady  rose  up  and  said,  "  We  must 
depart.      That  is  the  token." 

Then  she  mounted  her  palfrey,  and  took  the  little 

Christian    child    in    her    arms,    and    the    fair    maid 

Blanchebelle   mounted   on   the   ass,  and   Desideratus 

bestrode  his  horse,  and   forth  they  rode  out  of  the 

19  289 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

hall  and  into  the  night.  The  stars  were  shining,  and 
men  looked  and  saw  how  they  rode  towards  the 
wood  of  Caledon. 

And  thenceforth  was  Desideratus  seen  no  more. 

Note. — The  "  Lai  del  Desire,"  on  which  the  story  of  Desideratus 
is  based  is  found  in  one  MS.  only,  and  belonged  to  Sir  Thomas 
Phillips,  Bart,  of  Middlehall.  It  is  in  old  Norman-French,  and  is 
attributable  to  the  twelfth  century.  It  was  first  printed  by  Francisquc 
Michel  in  1836.  London,  Pickering.  It  is  one  of  the  many  Norman- 
French  lays  based  on  Celtic  tradition  and  myth,  that  delighted  the 
kings  and  nobles  of  the  court  of  the  Plantagenets.  This  story 
has  a  clear  family  relation  to  that  of  Thomas  of  Ercildoun  ;  only  in 
the  latter,  Thomas  escapes  from  Fairyland,  and  in  this  lai  of 
Desideratus,  the  hero  returns  to  it  for  ever.  It  is  moreover  the 
same  as  Marie's  Lai  of  Lanval  and  as  that  of  Gruelan  in  Le 
Grand  d'Aussi.  See  Ritson's  Metrical  Roviances,  i.  170.  I  have 
taken  a  few  liberties  with  the  tale.  In  the  original  the  true  elfin 
character  of  the  lady  is  not  plainly  expressed,  but  rather  implied. 
Moreover,  no  reason  is  given  for  her  enigmatical  conduct. 

As  a  sample  of  the  language  in  which  the  lai  is  written,  I  give 
the  opening  lines — 

Entente  i  mettrai  e  ma  cure 

A  recunter  un  aventure, 

Dunt  cil  qui  a  icel  tens  resquirent 

Par  remembrance  un  lai  firent. 

Ca  est  li  lais  del  Desire, 

K.i  tant  par  fu  de  grant  beute. 

En  Escoce  a  une  cuntred, 

Ki  Calatir  est  apelike 

Encoste  de  la  Blanche  Lande  (Albion), 

Juste  la  mer  ki  tant  est  grande. 

Although  the  lai  comes  to  us  only  in  Norman-French,  yet  it 
almost  certainly  has  had  a  Brito-English  origin,  and  is  probably 
an  English  ballad  that  has  been  worked  up  into  a  Ini  by  a  French 
trouvl're.  Marie  says  that  all  her  lais  were  taken  from  British 
orisfinals. 


290 


XV 

SIR  GREY,  SIR  GRAHAM,  AND 
SIR  GREYSKIN 


Long  ago,  in  the  period  when  England  was  divided 
into  seven  kingdoms,  before  that  Egbert  had  united 
them  into  one,  there  Hved  in  Cambridgeshire,  as  we 
now  call  it,  a  king  called  Ethelnoth,  and  he  had  an 
only  daughter  called  Elgiva.^  Elgiva  was  the  only 
child  of  the  king,  and  her  father  was  anxious  that 
she  should  be  well  married.  Elgiva,  on  the  other 
hand,  seemed  to  be  quite  unwilling  to  have  a  husband. 
The  king  sent  for  the  noblest  in  the  land,  some  of 
whose  pedigrees  went  back  even  to  i\dam  and  Eve ; 
but  Elgiva  said  she  did  not  desire  as  a  husband  a 
man  the  best  part  of  whom,  like  a  pig-nut,  was  under- 
ground. Then  he  sent  for  the  handsomest  men  ;  but 
Elgiva  said  that  she  had  no  desire  to  marry  a  pretty 
doll.  Then  he  sent  for  the  most  learned  men,  but 
she  said  she  would  not  marry  a  dryasdust ;  and  when 
he  asked  her  to  say  whom  she  would  take,  she  said 
that  she  would  only  accept  as  her  husband  the  bravest 
man  and  strongest  in  fight  who  could  be  found. 

^  Or,  as  M.  S.  A.  Freeman  would  call  her,  ^alfg-ifu. 
293 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

This  accordingly  was  proclaimed  through  the 
length  and  breadth  of  England.  The  tidings  reached 
even  Scotland  and  Wales.  Brave  knights  came  from 
every  quarter,  and  Elgiva  made  them  fight  before 
her  and  hack  one  another  about.  When  one  was 
dreadfully  wounded  and  defeated,  he  was  dismissed  to 
his  home  and  relations  to  be  mended  up  again  ;  his 
chance  was  gone,  and  he  might  never  more  become  a 
candidate  for  her  hand. 

But  Elgiva  would  not  accept  the  last  victor ;  she 
pitted  him  against  a  new  comer ;  and  she  was  so 
indifferent  to  her  suitors  that  she  knew  them  only  by 
their  numbers,  and  not  by  their  names.  For  instance, 
if  a  white  knight  came  and  defeated  a  black  knight, 
he  counted  as  one.  If  a  red  knight  defeated  the 
white  knight,  he  counted  as  two ;  if  he  further 
overcame  a  yellow  knight,  he  reckoned  as  three ;  but 
if  he  were  beaten,  his  conqueror  was  numbered  four. 

This  was  rather  cruel  pastime,  and  it  served  to 
harden  Elgiva's  heart  and  make  her  indifferent  to 
the  sufferings  of  men ;  indeed,  all  she  cared  for  was 
the  sport  of  making  them  fight. 

At  last  her  father  remonstrated  very  seriously  with 
her,  and  said  that  he  could  endure  this  no  longer. 
She  must  make  a  final  decision  and  abide  by  it. 
The  number  of  disabled  and  defeated  knights  now 
amounted  to  three  hundred  and  thirty-eight.  She 
said  she  must  make  up  a  round  number  before  she 
gave  her  hand. 

At  this  juncture  there  rode  into  Cambridge  two 
knights.  One  was  of  the  north  country,  and  his  name 
was   Sir  Grey ;    and  the  other  was  a  Scottish  knight 

294 


Sir  Grey,  Sir  Graham,   and  Sir  Greyskin 

called  Sir  Graham.  They  were  fast  friends,  and  as 
attached  as  brothers ;  indeed,  they  had  entered  into 
fellowship  together  to  fight  each  other's  battles,  and 
never  to  come  to  blows  between  them. 

The  two  knights  were  graciously  received  at  the 
court  of  Cambridge,  or  rather  Grantchester,  which  was 
the  site  of  the  royal  hall  and  palace,  and  which  was 
the  capital,  till  the  university  drew  away  the  population 
about  it,  and  Grantchester  dwindled  to  a  village,  whilst 
Cambridge  from  a  village  sprang  up  to  be  a  town. 

There  was,  however,  at  Cambridge  some  rising 
ground,  on  which  was  a  castle,  that  is  to  say,  earth- 
works enclosing  a  space  roughly  square,  with  a  great 
mound  at  one  end,  and  this  castle  went  by  the  name 
of  Wandlebury.  No  one  who  lived  in  the  village  or 
hamlet  of  Cambridge  ventured  near  it  at  night,  for 
the  castle  was  haunted.  It  was  said  that  a  ghostly 
rider  issued  from  the  mound  and  was  prepared  to 
fight  anyone  who  dared  encounter  him.  Indeed,  if 
a  man  at  night  came  within  the  precinct  of  the 
castle  and  cried  aloud,  "  One  knight  challenges 
another  knight !  "  immediately  the  mound  gaped,  and 
out  rode  the  phantom  on  an  ash-grey  horse,  clad 
in  armour  that  rattled  as  though  he  w'Ro  was  within 
were  only  bones.  And  he  cried  in  a  hollow  voice 
in  reply,  "  I,  Sir  Greyskin,  accept  the  challenge." 
Whether  there  were  truth  in  this  story  or  no,  not 
one  person  in  Cambridge  could  say,  for  the  very  good 
reason  that  no  one  had  been  found  hardy  enough  to 
attempt  the  adventure  and  challenge  Sir  Greyskin. 
The  spectral  warrior  was  a  subject  of  much  discus- 
sion and  considerable  doubt. 

295 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

When  the  two  knights  arrived  at  Grantchester, 
they  found  that  a  valiant  man  was  in  possession  of 
the  field,  who  was  known  as  Number  One  hundred 
and  thirty-eight,  and  they  were  at  once  summoned 
to  do  battle  with  Number  One  hundred  and  thirty- 
eight  ;  that  is  to  say,  the  princess  required  Sir  Grey 
to  joust  with  him,  and  whoever  was  victor  to  do  the 
same  with  the  Scottish  knight  Sir  Graham. 

Then  this  latter  said  to  Princess  Elgiva,  "  Should 
my  dear  comrade  fall  before  the  spear  of  his  antago- 
nist, I  shall  most  certainly,  rush  to  revenge  him  on 
Number  One  hundred  and  thirty-eight." 

"  If  that  your  friend  fall,  then  Number  One  hun- 
dred and  thirty-eight  will  become  Number  One 
hundred  and  thirty-nine,  and  should  you  defeat  him, 
you  will  be  the  happy  man.  Number  One  hundred 
and  forty,  and  be  my  husband,  and  inherit  the  realm." 

"  But  I  sincerely  hope  that  Sir  Grey  will  be 
successful  against  him  who  now  holds  the  field,"  said 
Sir  Graham. 

"If  that  should  happen,  you  will  have  to  break 
a  lance  against  your  comrade," 

"  I  cannot  do  that.  Nothing  would  induce  me  to 
do  such  a  thii^g." 

"  Not  the  prospect  of  winning  me  ?  "  asked  Elgiva. 

"  Not  even  that,"  replied  the  knight. 

"  Then  I  hope  you  will  both  of  you  be  knocked 
head  over  heels  by  my  champion  now  in  the  jousting 
yard,"  said  the  princess  angrily. 

The  combat  was  to  take  place  on  the  morrow. 

When  Sir  Grey  and  Sir  Graham  retired  for  the 
night,  the   former   informed   his   friend   that   he    was 

296 


Sir  Grey,  Sir  Graham,  and  Sir  Greyskin 

consumed  with  an  ardent  passion  for  the  beautiful 
Elgiva.  He  had,  he  said,  never  seen  anyone  whom 
he  had  so  much  admired,  and  he  concluded,  after 
abundant  sighs,  with  saying  that  life  would  not  be 
worth  living  unless  he  won  her  hand. 

Next  morning,  so  greatly  was  Sir  Grey  moved  by 
his  passion,  that  he  easily  unhorsed  his  adversary, 
and  became  Number  One  hundred  and  thirty-nine. 
He  was  now  sanguine  of  winning  the  lady,  but  with 
a  stern  voice  she  said,  "  I  shall  never  accept  any- 
one who  is  an  odd  number.  Smite  your  companion, 
throw  him  in  the  dust,  and  I  will  accept  your  suit." 

To  this,  notwithstanding  his  passion.  Sir  Grey 
would  not  consent.  Accordingly,  after  some  con- 
sideration, Elgiva  said,  "  Then  here  is  the  adventure 
I  set  you.  The  full  moon  rises  to-night.  Ride  to 
Wandlebury,  and  challenge  the  spectral  guardian  of 
the  castle  and  dweller  in  the  mound.  You  must 
ride  alone — no  one  must  accompany  you." 

Sir  Grey  eagerly  accepted  the  task.  Sir  Graham 
vainly  endeavoured  to  dissuade  him  from  it.  He 
represented  to  him  that  a  lady  who  was  ready  to 
sacrifice  so  many  suitors  was  hardly  one  who  ought 
to  inspire  love,  and  that  the  possession  of  her  hand 
and  inheritance  could  not  compensate  the  risk  of 
so  uncertain  an  adventure. 

But  Sir  Grey  would  listen  to  no  advice.  Next 
evening  he  rode  to  Cambridge,  traversed  the  marshes, 
and  ascended  Wandlebury  just  as  the  moon  began  to 
rise.  He  could  see  the  jack  o'  lanterns  dancing  in 
the  morasses  by  the  river  Cam.  No  one  was  with 
him.      No  one  was  in  sight. 

297 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

He  saw  before  him  high  mounds,  and  an  opening 
in  the  embankment,  through  which  he  penetrated. 
Then  in  a  loud  voice  he  called,  "  One  knight 
challenges  another  knight." 

He  had  hardly  uttered  the  words  before  the  great 
how  or  mound  gaped,  and  forth  issued  a  harnessed 
figure  riding  on  a  grey  steed,  that  seemed  to  have  no 
flesh  on  it,  but  to  be  a  skeleton  clothed  in  skin. 
Altogether  the  beast  was  sorry,  and  not  less  sorry 
seemed  the  rider,  in  rattling,  rusty,  broken  armour 
that  hardly  held  together. 

This  strange  rider  answered,  "  I,  Sir  Greyskin, 
accept  the  challenge." 

Then  both  knights  set  their  spears  in  rest  and 
charged  at  each  other.  In  a  moment  Sir  Grey's 
steed  reared,  and  the  lance  of  the  spectral  knight 
touched  him  on  the  breast  and  cast  him  on  the  field. 
He  fell  with  such  violence  that  he  lost  consciousness, 
and  lay  for  some  time  as  one  dead. 

When  he  came  to  his  senses  again,  he  rose  to  his 
knees  and  then  to  his  feet,  feeling  much  bruised  and 
in  great  pain,  especially  in  his  right  hand.  His  horse 
had  galloped  away  in  terror,  and  was  nowhere  to  be 
seen. 

Sir  Grey  with  difficulty  walked  out  of  the  ancient 
camp,  and  descended  the  hill,  threaded  his  way 
through  the  marshes,  and  sank  exhausted  at  a  door 
of  a  house  in  Cambridge. 

Those  within,  hearing  the  rattle  of  arms  and  a  groan, 
hastened  to  open,  and  discovered  the  knight  prostrate 
on  the  threshold.  They  took  him  up,  removed  his 
armour,  and  found  his   right   gauntlet  full  of  blood. 

298 


Sir   Grey,  Sir  Graham,   and  Sir  Greyskin 

The  forefinger  of  his  right  hand  had  been  cut  off. 
The  house  into  which  Sir  Grey  was  taken  was  that 
of  a  very  beautiful,  noble,  and  gracious  lady,  named 
Margaret. 

He  was  treated  with  the  utmost  kindness,  but 
nothing  could  overcome  his  sadness  of  spirit,  at  the 
thought  that  he  had  been  defeated  by  the  spectre 
knight,  and  had  lost  his  finger,  and  that  a  finger 
which  disabled  him  from  handling  well  his  sword 
and  lance. 

After  he  had  spent  several  days  in  the  house  of 
the  Lady  Margaret,  he  departed,  and  returned  to 
Grantchester,  where  he  found  his  friend,  Sir  Graham, 
in  great  anxiety  about  him.  He  arrived  in  most  dis- 
consolate mood. 

A  truncheon  of  his  spear  he  bore 
To  lean  hun  on  ;  he  had  no  more. 
On  his  bedside  he  sat  him  down, 
He  groaned  sore,  and  fell  in  swoun. 

Sir  Graham  had  great  difficulty  in  restoring  his  spirits 
sufficiently  to  draw  from  him  the  narrative  of  his 
discomfiture.  Then  Sir  Graham  strove  to  console 
him.  But  Sir  Grey  answered,  "  Talk  not  to  me 
of  comfort,  since  the  fair  Elgiva  is  lost  to  me  for 
ever.  I  am  vanquished  and  disgraced ;  vanquished 
in  equal  combat  with  a  single  knight.  I  am  not 
even  Number  One  hundred  and  thirty-eight — I  am 
nothing,  and  that  spectral  being  rising  on  my  ruins 
is  Number  One  hundred  and  thirty-nine." 

Sir  Graham  thought  it  useless  to  argue  any  further 
with  him.  He  considered  hov/  he  might  best  restore 
happiness  to  his  friend. 

299 


The  Old  EngJish  Fairy  Tales 

"  You  are,"  said  he,  "  the  victim  of  your  rashness. 
We  cannot  conceal  from  the  princess  your  return  or 
your  misfortune,  but  I  assure  you  that  I  will  hasten  to 
Wandlebury  and  avenge  you.  If  I  am  successful,  I 
shall  endeavour  to  make  the  lady  accept  you  in  place 
of  myself;  for,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  so  far  from  her 
inspiring  me  with  affection,  I  am  entirely  indifferent 
to  her  charms." 

Accordingly,  Sir  Graham  armed  himself,  mounted 
his  horse,  and  at  nightfall  rode  through  the  marshes, 
among  the  dancing  jack  o'  lanterns,  and,  reaching  the 
hill  that  was  crowned  with  the  ancient  camp,  ascended 
it,  and,  passing  through  the  gap  in  the  entrenchment, 
called  aloud,  "  One  knight  challenges  another  knight." 
Immediately  the  mound  gaped,  and  out  rode  the 
phantom  on  an  ash-grey  horse,  clad  in  armour  that 
rattled  as  though  he  who  was  within  were  only  bones. 
And  he  cried  in  a  hollow  voice  in  reply,  "  I,  Sir 
Greyskin,  accept  the  challenge." 

Then  both  knights  set  their  lances  in  rest,  struck 
spurs  into  their  steeds,  and  rushed  on  each 
other. 

It  befell  Sir  Graham  no  better  than  it  had  Sir  Grey. 
As  the  spectre  knight  approached,  Sir  Graham's  horse 
swerved,  and  the  spear  of  Sir  Greyskin  struck  the 
rider  on  the  side  and  bore  him  out  of  his  saddle,  and 
flung  him  on  the  ground,  where  he  fell  senseless. 
Then  the  frightened  horse  galloped  away. 

It  was  long  before  consciousness  returned.  When 
Sir  Graham  felt  a  little  recovered,  he  rose,  aching  in 
all  his  limbs,  and  feeling  great  pain  in  his  right  hand. 
He  left  the  camp,  descended  the  hill,  and,  wandering 

300 


Sir  Grey,  Sir  Graham,  and  Sir  Greyskin 

through  the  marshes,  happened  to  come  to  the  same 
gate  as  that  which  had  so  hospitably  opened  to  his 
brother  in  arms.  Here  he  was  received  with  the 
Hke  kindness.  He  was  bathed  in  warm  water,  and 
ointment  was  appHed  to  his  bruises.  When  his  right 
gauntlet  was  taken  off,  it  was  found  to  be  full  of  blood, 
for  he  also  had  lost  his  forefinger. 

Sir  Graham  was  much  distressed  at  his  discom- 
fiture, but  by  no  means  as  despondent  as  had  been 
Sir  Grey.  The  consequence  was  that  he  recovered 
much  more  rapidly,  and  that  he  had  eyes  wherewith 
to  see  what  a  very  sweet  lady  the  fair  Margaret  was, 
and  a  heart  to  be  sensible  to  gratitude,  and  even 
something  warmer.  Indeed,  Sir  Graham  remained 
under  the  care  of  the  Lady  Margaret  considerably 
longer  than  had  Sir  Grey — not  that  his  wounds  and 
bruises  were  more  serious,  but  that  he  took  pleasure 
in  being  there.  As  he  prepared  to  leave,  the  lady 
brought  forth  a  horn,  filled  with  a  medicated  drink 
of  a  green  colour,  which  was  so  potent  that  his  pains 
immediately  vanished.  She  had  done  the  same  to 
Sir  Grey,  but  no  sooner  had  that  knight  reached  the 
palace  where  lived  the  princess  he  loved,  than  his 
wounds  opened  again,  and  all  his  pains  instantly 
returned.  This  was  not  the  case  with  Sir  Graham, 
whose  heart  was  untouched  by  Elgiva,  and  was, 
indeed,  occupied  by  the  Lady  Margaret. 

Now,  when  Sir  Graham  had  returned  to  Grant- 
chester,  and  had  related  his  adventure  and  discomfi- 
ture, the  princess  laughed  and  said,  "  It  seems  to 
me  that  Sir  Greyskin  is  now  Number  One  hundred 
and-forty,  and   therefore   my   intended.      I   will  send 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

him  my  ring."  The  princess  had  a  little  footpage. 
She  held  out  to  him  a  ring  and  said,  "  Run  at 
nightfall  to  Wandlebury  and  see  if  Sir  Greyskin  will 
take  it." 

The  boy  obeyed,  and  when  he  returned  he  said, 
"  I  came  within  the  embankments,  and  the  wind  was 
whistling  and  the  stars  shining  frostily  overhead ; 
and  I  called  and  said,  '  A  fair  lady  sends  a  knight 
a  ring.'  Then  I  heard  a  hollow  voice  reply,  '  A 
knight  accepts  it.  Tell  the  fair  lady  I  will  come  on 
my  grey  horse  and  fetch  her  away.' " 

When  Elgiva  heard  this,  she  was  frightened.  She 
had  sent  this  ring  in  a  spirit  of  bravado,  and  now 
the  spectre  knight  had  taken  her  ring,  and  would 
claim  her  as  his  bride. 

It  must  now  be  told  that  Sir  Grey,  full  of 
melancholy  after  his  defeat  and  loss  of  a  finger, 
had  wandered  about  the  country  without  finding 
rest  for  his  troubled  mind,  or  diversion  of 
thought. 

One  frosty  day  he  had  walked  as  far  as  a  range 
of  low  chalk  hills  which  are  now  called  the  Gog- 
magogs,  and  he  had  seated  himself  on  the  side. 
The  weather  being  very  cold,  he  resolved  to  make 
himself  a  fire,  and  as  there  were  abundance  of  flints 
about,  he  took  one  to  strike  a  spark  from  it,  there- 
with to  kindle  a  bundle  of  sticks  and  fern  that  he 
had  collected  in  an  old  quarry.  He  said  to  himself 
as  he  struck  the  flint,  "  Hard  is  the  heart  of  her 
I  love,  as  the  flinty  stone." 

As  he  was  warming  himself  at  the  fire,  he  saw 
drops  of  clear  water  falling  into  it.      He  looked   up, 

302 


Sir  Grey,  Sir  Graham,  and  Sir  Greyskin 

and  observed  icicles  hanging  from  the  chalk-rock, 
and  the  heat  of  the  fire  was  melting  them.  Then 
he  said,  "  Cold  as  the  icicle  is  the  heart  of  her  I 
love  so  well."  Then  he  fell  into  sad  musincf,  and 
perceived  near  his  feet  in  a  sheltered  spot,  exposed 
to  the  sun,  a  dandelion  flower.  Not  much  con- 
sidering what  he  did,  he  plucked  it,  and  a  white, 
milky  fluid  flowed  from  the  stem.  When  he  put 
the  stem  to  his  mouth,  he  found  the  juice  was 
exceeding  bitter  and  unpalatable.  Then  he  said, 
"  Gall-bitter,  I  trow,  as  the  drops  that  flow  from  the 
dandelion  flower,  is  the  heart  of  the  lady  in  Grant- 
chester  bower." 

When  he  considered  what  course  he  should  pursue 
he  could  arrive  at  no  decision.  He  knew  that  for  his 
peace  it  would  be  better  were  he  away,  and  yet  he 
had  not  the  courage  to  tear  himself  from  the  presence 
and  society  of  the  beautiful  Elgiva. 

The  story  now  returns  to  the  princess. 

When  she  heard  that  the  spectre  knight  from 
Wandlebury  was  coming  to  demand  her,  then  she 
bade  all  her  maidens  sit  up  at  night,  and  she 
lighted  seven  blessed  candles,  made  of  wax  that 
had  been  brought  from  Palestine,  and  none  dare 
speak  above  a  whisper.  Now  they  waited  through 
the  night  till  the  moon  rose,  and,  at  the  very  moment 
that  the  moon  began  to  mount  and  send  a  flood  of 
silver  over  the  frosty  marshes  and  the  slow-moving 
Cam,  they  all  heard  the  sound  of  horse-hoofs,  and  a 
rattle  as  of  armour  and  bones  together. 

Elgiva  and  her  maidens  held  their  breath.  Then 
they  heard  the  horse-hoofs  and  rattle   of  bones   and 

303 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

armour  cease  under  the  window,  and  next  moment 
a  hollow  voice  sang — 

"Oh,  do  you  sleep  or  wake,  fair  may, 
And  do  you  watch  for  me  ? 
I  bring-  the  ring"  for  the  g^ay  wedding- 
That  we  shall  make  presently." 

Then  she  answered — 

"Oh,  you  must  say  what  is  the  church 
Where  you  with  me  will  wed." 


He  said- 


It  is  a  green  and  ancient  how 
That  stands  on  pillars  red." 


Then  she  cried  out- 


I  will  not  wed  in  a  green,  green  how. 
For  no  saint's  name  doth  it  bear  ; 

It  hath  no  altar,  it  hath  no  pall. 
Nor  psalm  is  ever  sung  there." 


But  he  sang — 


"Then  we  shall  be  married  beside  the  road 
Beneath  the  gallows  tree. 
For  there  a  priest  doth  swing  in  chains 
To  say  Benedicite." 

She  replied — 

"  I  will  not  be  married  beside  the  road. 
Nor  under  the  gallows  tree  ; 
And  I  will  have  my  merry  bridesmaids. 
By  one,  by  two,  and  by  three." 

Then  there  was  a  light  from  behind  the  hall ;  and 
304 


Sir  Grey,  Sir  Graham,  and  Sir  Greyskiri 

this  was  caused  by  one  of  the  maidens  whom  Elgiva 
had  sent  privately  to  kindle  a  great  heap  of  straw 
that  lay  there. 

When  the  phantom  knight  saw  the  bright  glow, 
he  thought  that  the  sun  was  rising,  and  he  cried 
out — 

"  I  must  away,  the  dawn  awakes, 
I  smell  the  morning-  air  ; 
The  sun  doth  rise  and  dazzle  my  eyes, 
And  I  have  far  to  fare." 

Then  they  heard  the  clatter  of  his  horse-hoofs 
and  the  rattle  of  his  arms  as  he  galloped  away. 

Next  night  it  was  the  same  thing.  Again  the 
maidens  assembled,  and  seven  candles  were  lighted, 
and  all  waited,  greatly  afraid,  for  they  expected  Sir 
Greyskin   to  arrive. 

And,  indeed,  no  sooner  did  the  moon  appear,  than 
they  heard  the  clatter  along  the  road,  and  the  sound 
of  bones  and  armour  shaking  together. 

He  halted  under  the  window,  and,  as  on  the 
previous  night,  he  called  out — 

"Oh,  do  you  sleep  or  w^ake,  fair  may? 
And  do  you  watch  for  me  ? 
I  bring  the  ring-  for  the  gay  wedding 
That  we  shall  make  presently.' 

Then  she  answered — 

"Oh,  where  is  spread  the  wedding  feast? 
And  what  is  on  the  board? 
Is't  ale  as  fits  a  villain's  cup, 
Or  wine  as  fits  a  lord  ? " 
20  305 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 
He  replied — 

"There's  neither  ale  nor  wine,  my  love, 
There  be  no  cups  at  all. 
The  cold,  cold  dew  that  trickleth  down 
Into  our  mouths  shall  fall." 

She  then  asked — 

"And  who  shall  be  the  guests  to-night? 
And  be  they  many  or  few? 
And  who  the  minstrels  that  shall  play? 
And  be  there  link-boys  too?" 

He  replied — 

"The  guests  they  are  the  moldiwarp, 
The  cricket,  and  the  snail. 
The  death-watch  it  shall  music  make. 
Our  lights — the  glow-worm  pale." 

At  that  moment,  a  sound,  shrill  and  harsh,  was 
heard  from  behind  the  hall.  It  was  occasioned  by- 
one  of  the  maidens  who  had  a  very  rasping  voice. 
Elgiva  had  sent  her  previously  to  the  back  yard  to 
crow  like  a  cock. 

Then  Sir  Greyskin  started  and  said — 

"I  must  away,  the  cock  he  crows, 
I  smell  the  morning  air  ; 
The  clarion  shrill  from  o'er  the  hill 
Bids  me  afar  to  fare." 

Then  they  heard  the  clatter  of  the  horse-hoofs 
and  the  rattle  of  his  arms  as  he  galloped  away. 

Now,  as  It  drew  to  the  third  evening,  Elglva  grew 
greatly    alarmed.       She    could    think    of   no    other 

306 


Sir  Grey,  Sir  Graham,  and  Sir  Greyskin 

device  for  ridding  herself  of  the  undesired  bridegroom. 
So  she  sent  for  Sir  Grey,  and  told  him  of  her  distress, 
and  how  that  the  spectre  knight  was  coming  again, 
and  would  infallibly  carry  her  off,  unless  she  could 
devise  some  way  of  getting  rid  of  him.  He  asked 
that  he  and  Sir  Graham  might  help  to  keep  her 
company  that  night,  and  do  what  they  could  to 
protect  her  against  Sir  Greyskin. 

She  gladly  consented ;  and  now  a  large  company 
was  assembled,  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  unwelcome 
ghostly  visitor. 

No  sooner  did  the  moon  appear,  than  the  clatter 
of  horse-hoofs  was  heard,  and  the  rattle  of  old  rusty 
armour  and  bones,  and  presently  Sir  Greyskin  drew 
up  beneath  Elgiva's  window,  and  sang  as  before — 

"Oh,  do  you  sleep  or  wake,  fair  ma}? 
And  do  you  watch  for  me  ? 
I  bring  the  ring  for  the  gay  wedding 
That  we  shall  make  presently." 

Then  she  asked — 

"Oh,  what  shall  be  my  bridal  dress 
Wherein  I  shall  be  sped?" 

He  answered — 

"Oh,  that  shall  be  a  winding  sheet 
To  wrap  thee  feet  and  head." 

Then  she  went  to  the  window  and   said,  "  I   pray 
you  let  me  alone,  and  leave  me." 

But  he  answered,  "  I  will  not  let  thee  alone,  nor 
leave  thee." 

307 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Then  she  said,  "  I  pray  you,  is  there  nothing  you 
will  take  in  place  of  me  ?  " 

And  he  said,  "  Nothing." 

Then  she  said,  "  I  adjure  you  by  the  seven  candles 
of  blessed  wax  from  Palestine,  say,  is  there  nothing 
you  will  take  instead  of  me  ?  " 

Then  he  sang — 

"Go,  fetch  me  light  from  a  dungeon  deep, 
Squeeze  water  from  a  stone, 
And  milk  me  milk  from  a  yellow  cow 
That  ne'er  on  feet  did  run," 

Now,  when  he  sang  this,  then  Sir  Grey  went  to 
the  window.  He  had  a  flint-stone  in  his  pocket, 
and  he  thought  that  surely  out  of  the  depth  of  the 
flinty  stone,  as  from  a  dungeon,  he  could  bring  up  a 
light,  so  he  drew  his  dagger. 

The  spectre  knight,  seated  on  his  grey  horse 
below  the  window,  looked  up  and  said — 

"Go,  fetch  me  light  from  a  dungeon  deep." 

Thereat  Sir  Grey  struck  the  flint  with  his  dagger, 
and  a  spark  flashed  forth  and  lit  up  the  ashen, 
upturned  face  of  the  spectre. 

He  uttered  a  howl  of  disappointment  and  rage, 
and  threw  something  which  fell  on  the  floor  at  Sir 
Grey's  feet,  and  it  was  his  finger. 

Then  the  phantom  knight  cried  shrilly — 

"Squeeze  water  from  a  stone!" 

Now,  as  Sir  Grey  was  at  the  window,  he  had  seen 
icicles  hanging  from  the  eaves,  and  he  put  forth  his 
hand,   took   one,   and,   holding    it    in    his    palm,    it 

308 


Sir  Grey,  Sir  Graham,  and  Sir  Greyskin 

dissolved,  and  the  drops  fell  over  Sir  Greyskin. 
Indeed,  he  was  melting  or  squeezing  water  out  of 
what  was  hard  as  crystal  stone. 

Thereat  the  spectre  uttered  a  howl  of  disappointed 
rage,  and  threw  something  which  fell  on  the  floor — 
and  it  was  Sir  Graham's  finger. 

Then  the  phantom  knight  cried — 

"Go,  milk  me  milk  from  a  yellow  cow- 
That  ne'er  on  feet  did  run." 

Now,  Sir  Grey  considered,  and  remembered  the 
dandelion  which,  when  he  had  plucked,  he  had  set 
in  his  cap.  This  he  now  took  forth,  and  pressed 
the  stalk  so  that  the  bitter  milk  ran  out,  and  dropped 
into  the  eyes  of  the  spectre  below. 

When  he  felt  the  drops,  and  saw  that  his  demands 
were  answered,  he  uttered  a  yell  of  rage  and  flung 
something  that  fell  on  the  floor  and  rolled  to  the 
feet  of  Elgiva,  and  it  was  her  ring. 

Then  said  Sir  Graham,  "  I  remember  how 
wonderful  was  the  effect  of  the  green  elixir  of  the 
Lady  Margaret.  I  dare  be  sworn,  if  she  were  to  put 
on  our  fingers  and  anoint  them  with  a  salve,  and 
give  us  to  drink  of  the  horn,  we  should  be  sound." 

So  the  Lady  Margaret  was  fetched  in  all  haste, 
and  it  was  as  Sir  Graham  said.  She  healed  both 
him  and  Sir  Grey,  so  that  none  could  have  said  their 
fingers  had  been  cut  off. 

Then  the  princess  said  to  Sir  Grey,  "  Number 
One  hundred  and  forty-one,  here  is  my  hand." 

"  Nay,  princess — I  am  One  hundred  and  forty." 

"  How  can  that  be  ?  " 

309 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

"  I  cannot  count  myself  as  conquered  by  Sir 
Greyskin,  as  I  have  conquered  him,  and  added  him 
and  his  numbers." 

"  But  he  defeated  you." 

"  Yes,  but  my  second  victory  neutralises  the  first. 
I  cannot,  and  will  not  be  regarded  as  having  con- 
quered myself." 

"  There  is  a  difficulty,  I  see,"  said  Elgiva ;  "  but 
let  us  settle  it  thus.  You  had  two  rounds  with  the 
spectre  knight ;  in  the  first  you  contended  with 
physical  strength,  the  second  round  was  a  contest  of 
intellect — but  the  two  make  up  but  one  fight.  Right. 
Number  One  hundred  and  forty,  here  is  my  hand." 

•'  And  here  is  mine,"  said  the  Lady  Margaret  to 
Sir  Graham. 

Note. — The  story  of  Sir  Grey,  Sir  Graham,  and  Sir  Greyskin  is 
a  combination  of  the  metrical  romance  of  "  Sir  Eger,  Sir  Graham, 
and  Sir  Graysteel,"  which  is  imperfect,  and  of  which  one  copy  alone 
remains,  and  also  of  a  story  given  by  Gervase  of  Tilbury  in  Otia 
Iinperalia,  written  in  121 1.  The  story  of  Sir  Eger  and  the  rest  was 
very  popular  in  the  early  part  of  the  sixteenth  century,  as  is 
evident  from  the  manner  in  which  it  is  mentioned  in  the  Complaynt 
of  Scotland,  first  published  in  1549.  In  the  metrical  romance,  of  which 
Ellis  gives  a  summary,  Sir  Graysteel  is  not  a  ghostly  knight ;  he 
is  actually  killed  by  Sir  Graham.  I  hope  that  I  have  not 
offended  the  purists  by  identifying  him  with  the  ghostly  knight  of 
Gervase.  The  latter  distinctly  localises  the  event  at  Cambridge, 
but  giV'CS,  as  the  name  of  the  ancient  encampment,  Wandlebury — 
"  in  Anglia  ad  terminos  Eliensis  est  castrum,  Cantabrica  nomine, 
cujus  limites  e  vicino  locus  est,  quem  Wandlebiriam  dicunt." 

No  such  name  remains  now  near  Cambridge,  and  I  should 
conjecture  that  this  was  an  old  name  for  the  prehistoric 
camp  with  mound  that  was  occupied  later  by  the  Norman  castle. 

For  notes  on  this  story  see  Liebrecht's  CoUectio7i  of  Extracts 
froi7i  the  Otia  Imperalia,  Hanover,  1856.  I  have  likewise  worked 
in  a  scrap  of  the  old  ballad  of  "  The  Unquiet  grave." 

310 


XVI 

ROBERT    THE    EVIL 


There  lived  in  Normandy  a  duke  named  Hubert. 
He  was  a  brave  and  a  courteous  man,  and  he  loved 
peace  though  he  was  so  brave,  and  cared  rather  for 
the  happiness  of  his  people  than  for  making  himself 
a  name  through  exploits  of  war. 

He  was  married  to  the  daughter  of  the  Duke  of 
Burgundy,  and  but  one  thing  interfered  with  their 
perfect  happiness,  and  that  was  that  they  were 
childless.  They  were  both  devout  in  their  duties  to 
God,  and  they  built  hospitals  and  cared  for  the  sick 
and  the  poor.  Fourteen  years  had  they  been 
together,  and  there  was  no  child.  The  duke's  heart 
was  sad,  but  the  duchess  was  the  most  sad,  because 
she  was  not  only  herself  disappointed,  but  she  saw 
also  that  it  troubled  her  husband  greatly. 

One  day  he  was  out  hunting,  and  he  said  to 
himself,  "  How  is  it  that  so  many  husbands  and 
wives  have  children  and  to  spare,  and  I  and  my  wife 
have  none  ?  " 

313 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Now  it  happened  that  whilst  he  was  saying  this, 
the  duchess  was  sitting  in  her  garden,  and  was 
weeping,  and  she  said  to  herself,  "  There  is  many  a 
poor  wife,  who  can  hardly  feed  her  children,  has  got 
a  large  family,  and  I  who  am  rich  have  none.  How 
is  that  ?  " 

As  she  thought  and  spoke  with  herself,  she  picked 
with  her  fingers  at  a  bit  of  old  wall  against  which 
she  was  leaning  her  arm.  It  was  made  up  of  small 
stones  and  bits  of  tile  and  of  flint  pebbles,  set  in 
mortar.  She  had  picked  out  several  of  these  before 
she  became  aware  that  she  had  pulled  out  a  tile 
that  covered  a  little  hole,  and  that  something  like 
smoke  was  issuing  from  this  small  hole.  The  smoke- 
like substance  came  out  as  if  it  were  blown  from  a 
pipe,  and  it  spread  out  before  her,  and  then  she  saw 
that  it  was  a  dense  cloud  of  tiny  black  flies ;  and 
these  flies  all  gathered  close  to  each  other  till  she 
could  see  no  light  between  them,  and  to  her  infinite 
terror  she  discovered  that  the  smoke  -  cloud  was 
contracting  into  the  figure  of  a  dark  man.  She 
could  see  no  features,  only  a  general  form,  and 
through  it  all  was  an  endless  whirling  and  traversing 
of  black  flies. 

She  was  so  frightened  that  she  could  not  speak. 
She  looked  at  the  great  shadow-like  figure  before 
her  and  trembled. 

Then  she  heard  a  voice  say  to  her,  "  I  will  give 
to  you  a  son  on  one  condition — that  one  of  my  flies 
may  enter  his  heart  and  lodge  there." 

When  the  shadow-form  spoke  thus,  with  a  voice 
like    the    humming    of    myriads    of    flies,   then    the 

314 


Robert  the  Evil 

duchess  plucked  up  courage,  and  she  said,  "  Give  me 
a  son,  and  I  will  allow  one  of  your  flies  to  enter  and 
lodge  in  his  heart." 

Then  all  at  once  the  swarm  of  flies  scattered,  and 
the  outline  of  the  form  was  gone,  and  the  duchess 
started  to  her  feet.  She  thought  she  had  been 
dreaming. 

At  her  feet  lay  the  little  tile  she  had  picked  out 
of  the  wall.  She  stooped,  took  it  up,  and  saw  that 
it  bore  a  singular  stamp  like  this — 


Now,  as  the  duke  rode  a-hunting,  he  came  all  at 
once  to  a  dead  hind,  that  lay  in  the  depth  of  the 
wood.  He  was  alone.  Above  the  carcase  was  an 
innumerable  swarm  of  flies,  so  thick  that  it  was  as 
smoke  wavering  in  the  wind.  At  first  he  thought 
that  the  dead  beast  was  on  fire,  but  he  soon  assured 
himself  that  this  was  a  cloud  of  mosquitoes  above  it. 
He  drew  up  his  horse  and  looked  on  in  wonder. 
Then  he  saw  the  cloud  of  flies  contract  into  a  form, 
twice  as  tall  as  that  of  a  man ;  he  could  see  no 
features,  only  a  maze  of  twirling  mites  of  flies  in  the 
shape  of  a  man. 

Then  he  heard  a  voice  issue  from  this  cloud-form, 
and  it  said,  "  I  will  give  you  a  son  if  you  will  allow 
one  of  my  midgets  to  drop  one  tiny  mite  of  poison 
into  his  blood." 

315 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

When  the  duke  heard  this,  he  almost  laughed, 
and  he  said,  "  I  want  a  son  indeed,  and  the  sting  of 
a  mosquito  will  do  him  no  harm.      I  grant  it." 

Then  all  at  once  the  cloud-form  dissolved,  the 
flies  scattered,  'and  the  duke  saw  no  more. 

Well,  it  came  to  pass,  some  time  after  this,  that 
the  Duchess  of  Normandy  became  the  mother  of  a 
little  baby  boy. 

Then  she  was  full  of  joy,  but  also  full  of  alarm, 
for  she  remembered  what  she  had  promised. 

She  had  the  finest  muslin  curtains  drawn  over 
the  windows,  lest  any  flies  should  enter,  and  over 
the  baby's  crib  were  also  fine  muslin  curtains 
stretched ;  and  she  ordered  eight  ladies-in-waiting  to 
watch,  four  by  day  and  four  by  night,  with  fans  in 
their  hands,  to  drive  away  all  flies  from  her  babe. 
Not  a  fly  was  to  be  seen  in  the  room,  and  the 
duchess  gave  strictest  orders  that  no  cobwebs  were 
to  be  swept  down  by  the  housemaids. 

She  believed  that  her  babe  would  be  safe  when  it 
was  baptized,  but  that  till  its  christening  it  was 
subject  to  the  danger  of  the  fly  entering  it. 

The  day  for  the  baptism  had  arrived.  The 
weather  was  so  sultry  that  the  windows  were  opened, 
but  the  muslin  curtains  remained  close  drawn. 

Suddenly,  all  saw  a  flash  of  lightning,  and  then 
heard  a  crash  of  thunder  so  loud  that  they  thought 
the  castle  must  have  been  struck.  The  duchess 
nearly  fainted  with  fear.  The  ladies-in-waiting 
desisted  from  fanning  the  child. 

Then  a  blast  of  wind  rushed  in,  tore  the  muslin 
curtains  asunder,  and  in  the  wind  came  a  little  black 

316 


Robert  the  Evil 

fly  with  a  long  -  legged  mosquito  on  its  back, 
trumpeting  triumphantly. 

Before  the  duchess  and  her  ladies  could  recover 
themselves,  the  black  fly  had  lighted  on  the  child's 
lips  and  had  crept  into  its  mouth,  and  the  mosquito 
danced  on  to  the  little  white  brow  of  the  babe  and 
stung  it  there. 

The  child  was  now  taken  to  church,  and  was 
baptized  by  the  name  of  Robert.  /\11  the  way  to 
church,  and  all  the  way  back,  he  did  nothing  but 
howl  and  struggle. 

Never  had  nurses  so  bad  a  time  as  they  had  with 
this  child.  He  grew  his  teeth  quicker  than  do  most 
babes,  and  when  he  had  them,  he  bit  his  nurses.  He 
delighted  also  in  scratching  them  with  his  sharp 
nails. 

Before  the  year  was  out,  he  could  run  about,  and 
by  the  time  he  was  three  could  talk.  The  older 
he  grew,  the  more  mischievous  he  became.  No 
governess  could  exercise  any  control  over  him. 
When  he  played  with  other  children,  he  struck  them 
with  his  fists,  pulled  out  their  hair,  and  kicked  them. 

Often  the  boys  in  the  street  assembled  to  fight 
him,  but  no  sooner  did  he  appear,  than  their  courage 
failed  and  they  ran  away,  screaming,  "  Robert  the 
Evil  is  coming  after  us  !  "  just  as  sheep  are  scattered 
by  a  wolf.  At  last  no  one  called  him  anything  else 
but  Robert  the  Evil. 

Thus  Robert  grew  up  to  be  a  big  boy.  The 
barons  of  Normandy,  when  they  saw  his  violence, 
were  right  glad,  for  they  thought  he  would  make  a 
warlike   duke,    and    they   were   weary    of  the   peace 

Z^7 


I 

The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

that  reigned  under  his  father,  the  good  Duke  Hubert. 
They  thought  that  this  was  merely  boyish  spirit ; 
but  at  last  they  also  found  that  his  evil  disposition 
was  too  much  for  them.  Just  as  noxious  weeds 
grow  strong,  so  did  the  evil  tempers  and  mischief- 
loving  caprice  of  Robert.  Nothing  pleased  him 
more  than  to  run  about  the  streets  with  a  stick, 
beating  people,  breaking  windows,  and  behaving  like 
a  madman. 

The  duke  was  much  distressed.  He  called  his 
son  to  him  and  said,  "  It  is  high  time  that  this 
disorderly  life  should  come  to  an  end.  I  am  going 
to  give  you  a  tutor  to  instruct  you  in  good  manners, 
and  to  teach  you  your  duty  to  God  and  to 
men." 

Robert  was  obliged  to  submit ;  and  a  good  and 
painstaking  tutor  was  appointed.  But  one  day,  when 
this  master  was  rebuking  Robert  for  neglect,  the  boy 
drew  a  knife,  fell  on  his  tutor  and  stabbed  him,  so 
that  he  sank  down  in  his  blood  on  the  floor. 

After  that  no  man  could  be  got  who  would 
undertake  the  office  of  tutor  to  Robert.  His  parents 
were  obliged  to  leave  him  to  himself,  to  follow  his 
own  course,  for  he  would  not  listen  to  them  any 
more  than  to  anyone  else. 

He  refused  to  learn  anything,  he  mocked  at  all 
that  is  holy,  and  not  only  would  he  not  go  to  church 
himself,  but  on  Sundays  he  threw  mud  and  stones 
at  those  who  were  going  to  the  house  of  God. 

When  the  duke  saw  how  that  his  son  went  on 
from  evil  to  evil,  he  wished  that  Robert  had  never 
been  born ;  and  he  thought  now  of  the  black  poison 

318 


Robert  the  Evil 

of  the  mosquito  that  had  entered  his  blood  and 
corrupted  it.  The  duchess  also  was  full  of  grief 
that  she  had  been  given  a  son  who  caused  her  shame 
and  misery,  and  she  thought  it  was  occasioned  by 
the  fly  that  was  harboured  in  his  heart. 

One  day  she  said  to  her  husband,  "  Our  son  is 
now  old  enough  and  able-bodied :  it  seems  to  me 
that  it  would  be  well  to  dub  him  knight,  perhaps 
that  may  have  some  effect  on  him,  and  cause  him  to 
amend  his  wicked  ways." 

The  duke  consented,  though  Robert  was  then  but 
eighteen  years  old. 

On  Whitsunday  the  duke  assembled  the  barons 
and  nobles  of  the  land,  and  summoned  his  son 
before  the  great  gathering.  /\fter  he  had  discussed 
his  project  with  his  council,  he  thus  addressed  his 
son:  "  Robert,  hearken  to  what,  at  the  advice  of  my 
best  friends,  I  say  to  you  before  all  this  great 
company.  It  is  my  purpose  to  dub  you  knight, 
that  henceforth  you  may  associate  with  honourable 
men,  and  may  exercise  yourself  in  acquiring  knightly 
virtues,  and  that  you  may  strive  to  change  your 
manner  of  life,  which  grieves  and  offends  all  men." 

Robert  answered,  "  Father,  do  as  you  will.  I 
care  nothing  whether  I  am  a  knight  or  not.  As  my 
heart  prompts  or  my  head  advises,  so  will  I  act." 

Then  he  strode  out  of  the  hall  of  assembly,  in 
such  a  humour  that  with  his  cudgel  he  struck  down 
everyone  who  was  in  his  way,  cutting  open  the 
heads  of  some,  and  maiming  others  in  their 
limbs. 

However,  his  father  insisted,  and  next  day  he  was 
319 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

dubbed  knight,  and  the  duke  ordered  a  tournament 
to  be  held,  in  which  the  knights  might  tilt  at  each 
other  with  blunt  spears. 

Robert  at  once  entered  the  lists,  drew  his  sword, 
overthrew  knight  after  knight,  fighting  and  raging 
like  a  lion.  He  broke  the  arm  of  one,  the  leg  of 
another,  and  the  neck  of  a  third.  Not  one  who 
ventured  before  him  came  off  uninjured ;  and  he 
rode  with  such  force  and  fury  that  he  rode  ten  horses 
to  death.  The  duke  in  vain  ordered  the  sports  to 
close.  Robert  would  not  attend.  He  galloped 
about  in  mad  fury,  running  down  horse  and  man, 
dealing  out  savage  blows,  and  in  this  one  day  killed 
three  of  the  boldest  knights  of  the  land,  beside 
having  wounded  many. 

He  would  not  desist  so  long  as  any  man  remained 
within  the  lists ;  then  he  spurred  his  horse,  which 
leaped  the  barrier,  and  he  rode  away  into  the  open 
country  in  search  of  adventures. 

After  this  he  did  not  return  to  his  father's  castle, 
but  gathered  a  number  of  evil-doers  about  him,  and 
conducted  himself  worse  than  ever,  riding  about  the 
country  ravaging  it,  not  sparing  churches,  the  old, 
the  young,  the  feeble. 

Messengers  came  to  the  duke  from  all  sides  with 
complaints  against  Robert.  He  had  burnt  one 
man's  harvest,  he  had  killed  another  man,  he  had 
robbed  a  church. 

The  duke  was  in  the  utmost  distress  and  doubt 
what  to  do.  He  knelt  down  and  prayed  to  God, 
whom  he  had  so  often  asked  to  give  him  a  son,  that 
now,  in  his  shame  and  sorrow  of  heart.   He  would 

320 


Robert  the  Evil 

show  him  the  means  whereby  his  grief  might  be 
assuaged,  and  his  son  recovered  from  such  a  hfe  of 
wickedness. 

Then  one  of  his  worthy  old  servants  came  to  him, 
and  said,  "  Dear  master,  let  me  give  you  my  advice. 
Send  messengers  to  summon  Robert  to  come  before 
you.  Then  address  him  in  the  presence  of  your 
kinsmen  and  nobles,  and  bid  him  change  his  mode  of 
life ;  and  threaten  him,  unless  he  does  so,  to  proceed 
against  him  as  you  would  against  any  ordinary 
criminal.  Throw  him  into  prison,  bring  him  before 
justice — and  deal  with  him  as  the  law  requires, 
without  respect  of  person." 

The  duke  thanked  the  man  for  his  advice,  and 
promised  to  follow  it. 

The  duke  accordingly  sent  messengers  to  his  son. 
These  arrived  before  Robert,  and  were  ill  received  by 
him.  He  had  their  eyes  put  out,  and  said  mockingly, 
"  Now,  sirs,  you  will  sleep  all  the  better !  " 

The  blinded  messengers  returned  to  the  duke, 
and  told  him  all. 

The  duke  was  very  angry,  and  considered  how  he 
could  bring  his  son  under  restraint. 

He  sent  in  all  haste  messengers  into  all  parts  of 
the  land,  and  ordered  the  officers  and  governors  to 
take  all  measures  in  their  power  to  protect  the  land 
against  Robert,  to  secure  his  person,  and  to  deliver 
him  over  to  him,  his  father. 

When    Robert  and  his    company  heard  that   the 

whole  country  was  rising  in  arms  against  them,  they 

were  greatly  alarmed.      But  Robert  ground  his  teeth, 

and  vowed   that  he  would   carry  on  war  against  his 

21  321 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

own   father,  and   that  he  would   devastate  the  whole 
land  before  him. 

For  their  immediate  protection,  he  withdrew  his 
band  of  robbers  into  a  deep  forest,  in  a  wild  and 
rocky  region,  remote  from  towns  and  villages,  and 
there  he  built  himself  a  strong  castle.  Numerous 
ruffians  came  to  him  there,  murderers,  thieves,  high- 
waymen, and  all  those  whose  crimes  banished  them 
from  the  company  of  ordinary  men. 

From  his  headquarters  in  the  forest  Robert  burst 
forth  and  waylaid  and  attacked  merchants  on  their 
way  from  one  town  to  another.  He  robbed  them 
of  everything,  and  killed  all  he  robbed. 

The  country  was  panic-stricken.  No  man  ven- 
tured along  the  road,  for  fear  of  Robert  and  his 
band.  When  the  freebooters  returned  to  their 
stronghold,  they  lived  in  riot  and  revelry,  and  made 
every  day  one  of  festivity. 

One  day  Robert  rode  forth  alone  in  the  forest. 
It  so  happened  that  he  fell  in  with  seven  hermits, 
old  and  pious  men,  who  were  on  their  way  through  it. 
Out  of  mere  savagery  and  wantonness,  Robert  rode 
at  the  old  men,  brandishing  his  sword,  trampled  them 
under  his  horse's  hoofs,  and  cut  them  down  with  his 
sword.  When  they  saw  him  charging  at  them,  they 
knelt  down  and  prayed  that  he  might  be  forgiven. 

When  all  were  dead,  he  laughed  and  said,  "  There, 
I  have  given  martyrs'  crowns  to  these  seven  saints. 
What  more  could  they  have  desired  ?  " 

After  this  horrible  crime,  he  left  the  forest.  All 
his  garments  were  stained  with  blood,  and  he  looked 
like  ^  butcher  from  the  shambles. 

322 


Robert  the  Evil 

As  he  thus  rode  along  the  land,  he  approached 
the  castle  of  Arques,  and  learned  from  a  shepherd 
that  his  mother  was  there.     She  had  arrived  that  day. 

He  at  once  turned  his  horse's  head  in  the  direction 
of  the  castle,  moved  by  some  dark  and  uncertain 
impulse.  But  as  he  approached  and  people  saw 
him,  all  fled  from  him,  like  hares  from  a  hound. 
Some  shut  themselves  up  in  their  houses,  others 
took  refuge  in  the  church. 

For  the  first  time  it  struck  Robert  that  he  was  an 
object  of  aversion  and  horror  to  people.  "  What !  ' 
said  he  ;  "  am  I  the  plague,  that  everyone  turns  pale 
and  flies  before  me  ?  " 

Occupied  with  this  thought,  he  drew  up  at  the 
castle  gate,  sprang  from  his  horse,  and  called  to  the 
ostlers  to  take  it.  But  no  servant  dared  approach, 
and  he  was  obliged  himself  to  attach  his  horse  to  a 
ring  in  the  wall. 

Then,  with  his  sword  all  stained  with  blood  in  his 
hand,  he  strode  into  the  castle. 

When  the  duchess,  his  mother,  saw  Robert  enter, 
and  approach  her  with  the  sword  drawn  in  his  hand, 
she  turned  to  run  away  ;  but  Robert  called  out  to  her, 
"  Dear  mother,  why  do  you  try  to  escape  ?  I  will 
not  harm  you.     Stand  and  speak  to  me,  I  pray  you." 

Then  he  approached  her  with  his  sword  lowered, 
and  said  to  her,  "  Mother,  tell  me,  I  pray  you,  why  I 
am  unlike  all  others,  that  I  am  so  furious  and  bent  on 
evil  continually.  Sometimes  I  know  it  is  all  bad  ; 
but  my  furious  passions  drive  me  on,  just  as  a  leaf 
is  blown  by  a  hurricane." 

Then   the  duchess   said,  weeping,  "  My  son,  I  am 
323 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

to  blame,  as  is  also  your  father.  We  despaired  oi 
having  a  son,  and  were  rebellious  against  the  will  of 
God.  Then  all  at  once  a  mysterious  dark  spirit 
stood  before  us,  before  me  in  the  garden,  and  after- 
wards before  your  father  in  the  forest,  and  promised 
that  we  should  have  a  son  if  I  would  allow  him  to 
send  a  black  fly  into  your  heart,  and  if  your  father 
would  allow  one  to  drop  deadly  poison  into  your 
blood.  This,  we  believe,  is  the  reason  why  you 
have  so  much  evil  in  your  heart,  and  so  much  fire 
in  your  blood,  and  that  your  thoughts  are  only  to 
do  evil  continually.  Now,  I  kneel,  I  feel  I  am  guilty 
— raise  your  sword  and  strike  off  my  head." 

Then  Robert  said,  "  Mother,  is  there  no  way  by 
which  the  black  fly  may  be  dislodged  from  my 
heart,  and  the  poison  be  driven  out  of  my  blood  ?  " 

The  duchess  said,  "  I  have  sent  for  seven  holy 
hermits  who  have  lived  in  desert  places,  serving  God 
in  fastings  and  prayers.  They  have  been  to  me 
to-day,  and  I  told  them  all  my  sorrow,  and  your 
father's,  and  asked  them  their  advice." 

Then  Robert  was  dismayed,  for  it  was  even  these 
men  who  had  come  at  his  mother's  request  that  he 
had  killed,  and  it  was  with  their  blood  that  his 
sword  and  his  garments  were  stained. 

His  mother  went  on  to  say,  "  I  spake  with  these 
holy  men,  and  they  were  all  of  one  and  the  same 
opinion.  They  said  that  the  black  fly  lived  on  evil 
deeds  done, — blood  that  is  shed,  houses  broken  into 
and  robbed,  harvests  destroyed, — and  that  the  only 
way  in  which  you  could  rid  yourself  of  the  black 
fly  was  to  starve  him  out." 

324 


Robert  the  Evil 

"  And  how  is  that  to  be  done  ?  "   asked  Robert. 

"  By  doing  no  more  deeds  of  violence.  Then 
after  a  while  he  will  be  forced  to  leave,  or  he  will 
perish  for  want  of  food." 

"  And  the  poison  drop  in  my  blood  ?  "  asked 
Robert. 

"  That,  said  they,  could  only  be  expelled  by 
prayer  and  fasting." 

"  Oh,  you  good  mother,"  said  Robert,  "  I  thank 
you  for  what  you  have  said.  Hitherto  I  have  used 
every  effort  to  feed  and  fatten  the  black  fly,  and  I 
have  let  the  poison  in  my  blood  drive  me  about  as 
it  would.  Now  I  will  use  all  my  efforts  to  drive  out 
the  black  fly,  and  to  conquer  and  expel  the  poison 
from  my  blood." 

Without  further  words,  Robert  left  the  presence  of 
his  mother,  and  the  castle  of  Arques. 

The  duchess  hastened  to  Rouen  to  her  husband, 
and  told  him  all.  The  duke  said,  "  It  is  in  vain. 
How  can  he  make  amends  for  all  the  evil  he  has 
done  ?  I  cannot  trust  Robert,  I  believe  that  this  is  a 
mere  caprice  of  the  moment,  and  he  will  break  out 
again  into  worse  violence  than  before.  Yet  I  pray  to 
my  merciful  God,  to  hold  him  to  his  good  purpose." 

Robert  rode  back  to  his  fortress  in  the  forest,  and 
there  found  all  his  companions  at  table. 

As  soon  as  they  saw  him,  they  stood  up  and 
cheered  him,  and  bade  him  take  his  place  and  drink 
and  be  drunken  with  them. 

But  Robert  would  not  seat  himself ;  he  stood,  and 
said,  "  Comrades,  hearken  what  I  ha.ve  to  say.  You 
know  that  the   life  we  have  led   brings  destruction  to 

325 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

soul  and  body.  We  are  all  hurrying  on  the  way  to 
outer  darkness,  and  there  is  no  hope  for  us  unless 
we  turn  from  our  evil  ways  and  repent.  Therefore 
I  bid  you  do  as  I  do,  give  up  this  bad  life,  and  seek 
to  recompense  for  the  past." 

Then  they  all  burst  out  laughing,  they  thought  he 
was  mocking.      But  he  persisted  in  what  he  said. 

Then  one  stood  up  and  said,  "  Listen  to  our 
captain  !  Who  is  the  worst  among  us  all  ?  Who 
shows  least  mercy  ?  Who  leads  us  into  the  greatest 
crimes  ?  " 

Robert  answered,  "  That  is  true.  I  have  led  you 
wrong ;  now  let  me  lead  you  aright." 

Then  another  robber  called  out,  "  Master  !  you 
speak  to  deaf  walls.  Neither  I  nor  the  rest  of  us 
will  leave  off  our  life  of  robbery  and  murder  because 
you  desire  it.  We  do  not  like  a  peaceful  state  of 
affairs.  We  have  no  taste  for  honest  work.  We 
are  brigands,  and  brigands  we  will  remain  to  our 
dying  day." 

All  praised  these  words,  and  shouted,  "If  we  have 
been  bad  hitherto,  we  will  be  worse  in  the 
future." 

When  Robert  heard  their  resolve,  he  said  not 
another  word  to  them.  He  bolted  the  door,  took 
up  a  cudgel,  and  laid  about  him  with  all  his  might, 
and  did  not  desist  till  he  had  knocked  down  and 
killed  all  the  gang.  Then  he  said,  "  I  have  paid 
you  all  for  your  services  as  ye  deserved.  As  is  the 
master,  so  is  his  pay." 

Then  Robert  put  the  key  of  his  castle  in  his 
pocket,  and  went  his  way. 

326 


Robert  the  Evil 

He  rode  on  his  horse,  and  left  the  wood,  and 
travelled  on  till  he  was  overcome  with  hunger. 

Towards  evening  he  drew  near  to  a  monastery,  the 
abbot  of  which  was  a  kinsman.  Robert  had  done 
much  harm  to  the  possessions  of  this  abbey  ;  and 
now,  as  he  approached,  everyone  fled  before  him. 
He  rode  up  to  the  gates,  and,  kneeling  there,  begged 
that  the  abbot  would  speak  with  him.  The  monks 
were  so  frightened  that  they  advised  the  abbot  to 
have  nothing  to  do  with  him.  However,  he  went  to 
the  gate,  and  then  Robert  was  so  earnest  in  his  pro- 
fession of  desire  to  amend  his  evil  life,  that  the 
abbot  opened  the  wicket  and  let  him  in.  He  gave 
him  food  and  quarters  for  the  night,  and  much  good 
advice. 

Next  morning  Robert  said  to  the  abbot,  "  I  have  a 
commission  wherewith  I  charge  you.  Here  is  the  key 
of  my  castle.  Take  it  to  my  father,  and  tell  him  that 
within  are  all  the  things  we  have  taken  from  churches 
and  castles,  as  well  as  those  things  of  which  we  have 
despoiled  merchants  and  peasants.  Tell  him  to  divide 
the  spoil  among  those  whom  we  have  plundered." 

Then  Robert  left  his  horse  and  his  sword  behind, 
and  went  on  his  way  on  foot. 

He  wandered  over  hill  and  vale,  very  weary  and 
footsore,  and  did  not  rest  till  he  reached  the  cell  of 
a  holy  hermit  who  lived  on  a  rock  above  the  sea. 

He  asked  him  to  take  him  in  and  advise  him  what 
he  must  do.  He  told  him  what  an  evil  life  had 
been  his,  how  that  the  black  fly  was  lodged  in  his 
heart,  and  the  poison  boiled  in  his  veins.  He  told 
him  how  he  had   stabbed   his   tutor  when   he  was  ^a 

327 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

boy,  and  had  mocked  at  religion,  and  how  he  had 
maltreated  all  who  came  near  to  him ;  how  he  had 
broken  legs  and  arms  and  necks  in  the  tournament 
when  dubbed  knight;  how  he  had  gathered  about 
him  a  band  of  miscreants ;  and  he  told  him  all  that 
ever  he  had  done,  down  to  the  murder  of  the  seven 
holy  hermits,  who  had  been  to  advise  his  mother 
concerning  him. 

Then  the  hermit  said  to  him,  "  My  son,  I  will 
prepare  you  a  bed,  and  I  will  think  and  pray  about 
you  all  night,  and  tell  you  in  the  morning  what  you 
must  do." 

So  he  gave  to  Robert  some  of  his  frugal  meal, 
and  strewed  him  a  bed  of  fern  leaves  and  heather, 
and  Robert  cast  himself  on  it  and  fell  asleep. 

Now  in  the  night  the  old  hermit  had  a  dream. 
He  thought  that  the  whole  cell  was  full  of  light,  and 
that  he  saw  an  angel  in  the  midst  of  the  light,  and 
the  angel  said  to  him,  "  This  is  what  Robert  must 
do  to  prove  his  repentance,  and  to  learn  to  obtain 
complete  mastery  over  himself.  He  must  behave 
himself  as  a  fool,  and  as  if  he  were  dumb.  He  must 
eat  no  meat  but  what  is  cast  to  the  dogs,  and  this 
life  he  must  continue  to  lead,  till  it  be  revealed  to 
him  that  his  repentance  is  accepted,  when  the  black 
fly  will  crawl  out  of  his  mouth,  and  the  poison  will 
come  away  from  his  thigh  in  a  drop  of  black 
blood." 

When  the  hermit  heard  this,  he  was  sore  amazed 
and  dismayed. 

^fi.Next  morning  he  was  very  silent.      Robert  asked 
him  whether  he  had  any  opinion  to  pass  on  what  he 

32S 


Robert  the  Evil 

was  to  do.  He  saw  that  the  aged  man  was  dis- 
tressed, and  he  urged  him  to  speak  out  and  declare 
what  he  had  to  say. 

Then  the  hermit  wept,  and  said  to  him,  "  Last 
night  I  saw  an  angel,  and  he  told  me  that  you  must 
comport  yourself  as  a  fool,  and  as  if  you  had  lost 
your  speech,  and  eat  only  what  is  cast  to  dogs.  A 
sign  from  heaven  will  be  given  to  show  when  your 
repentance  is  accepted,  and  then  the  black  fly  will 
leave  your  heart,  and  the  poison  drop  will  distil  from 
your  blood." 

Robert  hearkened  meekly,  and  thanked  the  hermit, 
and  promised  to  do  as  he  was  bidden. 

Then  he  left  the  cell  and  went  his  way,  not 
knowing  whither  he  went,  and  as  he  walked,  he 
jumped  and  ran,  and  behaved  like  a  crazy  fellow. 

When  he  was  in  a  village  or  town,  the  children 
ran  after  him,  mocking,  and  pelting  him  with  stones. 
The  people  also  looked  out  of  their  windows  at  him 
and  laughed  at  his  antics. 

So  he  went  from  place  to  place,  and  all  he  ate 
was  what  was  cast  to  the  dogs  in  the  street  till  he 
came  to  Paris,  where  the  Emperor  Charlemagne 
held  court. 

Seeing  the  palace  door  open,  Robert  ran  into  the 
hall  where  the  emperor  was,  and  jumped  about  from 
side  to  side,  never  remaining  for  one  moment  in  the 
same  spot. 

Charles  the  Great  saw  him  and  said,  "  There  is  a 
fine  young  man,  who  looks  like  a  knight,  but  seems 
to  be  crazy.      Bid  him  sit  down  and  eat  and  drink." 

The  emperor's  steward  brought  Robert  to  a  table, 
329 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

and  placed   before  him   meat,  bread,  and   wine ;  but 
he  would  touch  nothing. 

Whilst  Charlemagne  was  eating,  he  threw  a  bone 
to  a  dog  which  lay  under  the  table.  Instantly 
Robert  sprang  from  his  place  and  pursued  the  dog, 
to  take  the  bone  from  him.  The  dog  would  not  let 
go  his  spoil,  so  both  gnawed  at  the  same  bone,  one 
at  each  end.  The  emperor,  and  all  in  the  hall  who 
saw  this,  laughed  aloud. 

At  last  Robert  got  the  upper  hand,  and  kept  the 
bone  for  himself,  and  lay  down  on  the  floor  and 
gnawed  it,  for  he  was  very  hungry,  not  having  eaten 
anything  for  a  long  time. 

When  the  emperor  saw  how  hungry  he  was,  he 
threw  a  slice  of  bread  to  another  dog.  Robert  took 
this  also,  but  divided  it  in  half,  and  gave  one  half  to 
the  dog.  This  also  provoked  much  laughter,  and 
the  emperor  said  to  his  men,  "  This  is  the  funniest 
fool  I  have  ever  seen.  He  takes  from  the  dogs 
their  food,  but  will  not  eat  anything  offered  him. 
By  this  one  can  see  that  he  is  a  genuine  fool." 

The  servants  of  Charlemagne  now  gave  the  dogs 
all  the  remains  of  the  meats,  so  that  Robert  might 
be  satisfied ;  and  that  they  might  have  sport  in 
watching  him. 

At  last  Robert  stood  up  and  began  to  run  and 
jump  about,  and  strike  at  the  walls,  the  pillars,  the 
dogs,  the  benches,  with  a  stick  he  had  in  his  hand. 
Whilst  so  doing  he  saw  an  open  door  leading  into  a 
sweet  garden.  He  ran  out  and  found  a  beautiful 
fountain  in  the  midst  of  the  garden.  To  this  he 
went  and  drank  of  the  water. 

330 


Robert  the  Evil 

As  night  approached,  he  went  with  the  dogs  to 
the  place  where  they  slept,  which  was  under  the 
stairs  ;  and  he  lay  down  among  them.  The  emperor 
heard  of  this,  and  ordered  a  feather  bed  to  be  carried 
to  him,  but  Robert  made  signs  that  he  would  not 
have  it,  so  it  was  taken  away.  The  emperor  was 
not  a  little  surprised  when  his  servants  returned  with 
the  soft  bed,  and  he  ordered  them  to  litter  plenty  of 
straw  on  the  ground  where  Robert  was. 

They  did  this,  and  Robert  threw  himself  down  in 
the  clean  straw,  among  the  dogs,  and  soon  fell  fast 
asleep. 

Thus  it  came  about  that  Robert,  the  son  of  a 
mighty  duke,  who  had  been  accustomed  to  lie  on  a 
good  bed  and  eat  of  the  best  food,  freely  by  the  force  of 
his  own  will,  assisted  by  the  grace  of  God,  renounced 
all  comforts  and  all  honour,  to  eat  with  the  dogs 
under  the  table,  and  sleep  with  the  dogs  under  the 
stair,  so  that  he  might  learn  self-conquest,  and  give 
proof  of  his  resolution  to  break  with  his  evil  habits, 
and  conquer  what  was  evil  in  his  nature.  For, 
indeed,  there  was  in  Robert  what  was  bad,  but  also 
something  that  was  good,  as  is  the  case  with  all  the 
sons  of  Adam  ;  only  in  Robert  there  was  a  greater 
force  of  evil  than  in  most  men,  because  of  the  black 
fly  in  his  heart  and  the  black  blood  in  his  veins. 

But  if  there  was  this  great  evil  in  him,  there  was 
in  him  also  a  strong  and  resolute  will,  and  the  seeds 
of  what  is  good  and  great  and  noble.  And  what 
happened  to  Robert  may  happen  to  every  one  of  us  : 
if  we  will,  by  God's  help  we  can-  conquer  the  evil 
and  encourage  the  good. 


OJ 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Now  listen  to  what  follows. 

In  this  fashion  Robert  continued  to  live,  a 
laughing  -  stock  to  the  court,  kindly  regarded  and 
much  pitied  by  the  emperor,  and  dearly  loved  by  the 
dogs  with  whom  he  associated,  especially  by  one  old 
hound  who  lay  near  him  on  the  straw,  and  who  would 
have  allowed  himself  to  be  killed,  rather  than  be 
separated  from  Robert. 

It  came  to  pass  that  the  Emperor  Charles  the 
Great  had  a  young  and  beautiful  daughter,  who  was 
dumb. 

The  king's  seneschal  had  often  asked  the  emperor 
to  give  her  to  him  as  wife,  but  Charlemagne  would 
not  consent  to  this,  because  he  thought  that  although 
his  daughter  was  dumb,  yet  she  deserved  a  noble 
husband,  and  not  a  mere  servant. 

This  so  angered  the  seneschal  that  he  left  the 
court  and  went  to  the  Saracens  in  Spain,  and  in- 
trigued with  them  to  invade  Gaul  and  make  war 
on  the  great  emperor. 

This  was  all  done  so  privately  that  suddenly  the 
army  of  the  Saracens  crossed  the  Pyrenees  and 
poured  down  on  the  fruitful  plains  of  i\quitaine 
before  the  emperor  was  aware  that  war  was  menaced, 
and  before  he  had  collected  an  army  sufficiently 
large  to  oppose  the  infidels. 

The  Arabs  poured  over  the  south,  and  burned 
and  destroyed  and  slaughtered  everywhere  without 
pity. 

Then  Charles  assembled  his  great  nobles  and  thus 
addressed  them :  "  My  lords,  give  me  good  counsel, 
that  we   may  withstand    these   heathen   dogs  which 

332 


Robert  the  Evil 

have  wasted  our  land ;  wherefore  I  take  great 
thought,  for  they  keep  all  my  land  under  their 
subjection,  and  they  will  bring  us  to  confusion, 
if  that  God,  out  of  His  endless  mercy,  help  us 
not ;  wherefore  I  pray  you,  everyone,  to  go  fight 
with  them  with  all  your  power  and  might,  and  drive 
them  away." 

Then  answered  the  lords  and  knights  all  with  one 
assent,  saying,  "  Sovereign  lord,  your  counsel  is  good 
and  wise,  therefore  we  be  ready  all  to  go  with  you, 
and  give  them  battle,  and  defend  our  right,  and  relieve 
the  land." 

The  emperor  thanked  them  for  this  answer,  and 
was  glad,  and  made  proclamation  throughout  all  the 
country,  that  every  man,  old  and  young,  who  was 
able  to  bear  arms  should  make  ready  to  fight  against 
the  Saracens. 

Great  numbers  of  men  assembled  about  the 
emperor,  who  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the  host, 
and  marched  forth  against  the  enemy. 

Now  the  old  story  says  :  "  And  for  all  that  the 
emperour  had  moche  mo  people  than  the  seneschall, 
yet  the  seneschall  had  wonne  the  felde,  hadde  not 
God  of  His  grace  sente  theder  Robert  to  resyste  and 
helpe  them  in  theyr  grete  necessyte." 

On  the  very  day  on  which  the  Emperor  Charles 
marched  against  the  Saracens,  it  happened  that 
Robert  went  into  the  garden  of  the  palace  where 
was  the  fountain,  and  he  sat  on  the  margin  sorrowful, 
thinking  of  the  great  danger  run  by  the  emperor 
and  his  Christian  men,  and  how  unable  he  was  to 
help.      Then    all    at    once   he    heard    a    voice    from 

333 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

heaven,  that  said,  "  Robert,  make  haste !  arm  thyself, 
mount  and  fly  to  the  assistance  of  the  emperor  and 
the  Christian  host." 

Robert  started  to  his  feet  in  great  astonishment. 
There  was  a  flash  as  of  lightning,  and  he  saw  before 
him  a  snow-white  horse,  richly  harnessed,  and  on  the 
breasting  of  the  fountain  a  complete  suit  of  silver 
armour,  and  a  shield  on  which  was  blazoned  a  red 
cross  above  a  crescent. 

Now  it  happened  that  there  stood  at  a  window 
the  dumb  princess,  and  she  was  looking  into  the 
garden  when  this  happened,  and  she  saw  the  great 
light  and  the  sudden  apparition  of  the  horse  and  the 
armour,  and  she  further  saw  Robert  don  the  armour, 
mount  the  horse,  and  ride  away. 

If  she  had  been  able  to  speak,  she  would  have 
told  her  ladies  what  she  had  seen,  but  as  she  was 
dumb,  she  kept  it  locked  up  in  her  heart. 

Robert,  in  full  armour,  gleaming  with  light,  on 
the  snow-white  horse,  galloped  into  the  camp  of  the 
Christians ;  and  arrived  just  at  the  moment  when  the 
army  of  the  Franks  was  hard  pressed  by  the  enemy, 
and  was  beginning  to  waver. 

When,  however,  Robert  appeared,  and  the  enemy 
saw  his  flashing  armour,  and  felt  the  strokes  of  his 
mighty  arm  and  sword  that  shone  as  lightning, 
they  were  filled  with  panic,  and  recoiled.  The 
Christians  plucked  up  courage,  recovered  lost  ground, 
and  charged  with  shouts  and  levelled  spears.  The 
result  was  a  victory. 

The  ground  was  strewn  with  the  dead  of  the 
Saracens,  and  the  Franks  put  the  invaders  to  flight 

334 


Robert  the  Evil 

No  sooner  was  Robert  assured  that  the  victory 
was  won,  than  he  galloped  back  to  Paris,  and  to  the 
garden  of  the  emperor.  Having  reached  the  fountain, 
he  descended  from  the  saddle,  when,  instantly  horse 
and  harness  vanished,  and  Robert  was  but  the  poor 
ragged  fool  he  had  been  before. 

The  emperor's  daughter  saw  this  from  her  window. 
Fain  would  she  have  spoken,  had  her  tongue  been 
loosed. 

Robert  had  received  a  scar  on  the  face  in  the 
battle,  otherwise  he  was  unhurt. 

The  emperor  now  returned  in  triumph  to  Paris, 
and  all  the  bells  of  all  the  churches  rang  out 
joyously.  He  went  at  the  head  of  his  troops  to  the 
cathedral,  and  thanked  God  for  the  assistance 
rendered  him. 

When  the  evening  banquet  began,  then  Robert 
was  in  the  hall  as  usual,  performing  his  wonted 
antics,  mute  and  crazy  as  before.  The  emperor  was 
glad  to  see  his  fool  again,  but  when  he  observed  the 
scar  on  his  face,  he  was  vexed,  and  said,  "  I  see  that 
there  are  envious  people  in  my  court  who  have  taken 
advantage  of  my  absence  to  wound  my  poor  good 
fool.  It  is  true  that  he  is  a  fool,  but  he  is  one 
who  does  no  man  an  injury."  Then  the  emperor 
issued  orders  that  no  one  should  molest  Robert  at 
any  time. 

However,  he  had  other  matters  to  think  of,  and 
he  began  to  talk  with  his  nobles  about  the  great 
victory,  and  to  ask  who  that  was  on  the  white  horse 
and  in  the  silver  armour,  who  had  rendered  such 
assistance    that    day.      As    none   could    inform   him, 

335 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Charles  said,  "  I  know  not  who  he  be,  but  this  1 
know  of  him,  that  he  is  the  bravest  and  finest  knight 
I  ever  saw." 

The  princess  was  present,  and  heard  these  words. 
She  drew  nigh  to  her  father  and  made  a  sign  to 
him,  pointing  to  Robert,  so  as  to  show  who  it  was 
who  had  ridden  to  the  assistance  of  the  Christian 
army.  He  could  not  understand  what  she  meant, 
so  he  summoned  her  nurse,  who  had  been  with  her 
from  infancy,  to  explain  to  him  what  his  daughter 
desired  to  say.  The  nurse,  after  watching  her  signs, 
told  Charlemagne  that  the  princess  desired  to  inform 
him  that  Robert  the  fool  was  he  who  had  brought 
such  unexpected  and  powerful  assistance  to  the  army. 

The  emperor  laughed  heartily  at  this,  and  said, 
"  Verily  my  daughter  is  as  great  a  fool  as  is  he." 
But  then  he  became  angry,  and  said  to  the  nurse, 
"  Instead  of  training  my  child  to  be  sensible,  you 
encourage  her  to  give  way  to  all  kinds  of  nonsensical 
ideas." 

When  the  princess  heard  this,  she  made  no  further 
signs,  although  she  well  knew  that  what  she  wanted 
to  say  was  the  truth.  She  went  away  in  sadness  of 
heart. 

After  a  while  the  Arabs  had  collected  their  forces 
again,  and  once  more  advanced  against  Paris. 
Again  the  emperor  at  the  head  of  his  Franks 
marched  against  them,  and  this  time  also  would  have 
been  defeated  unless  the  White  Knight  had  come,  as 
before,  to  his  assistance  and  that  of  the  hard  pressed 
Christian  host.  This  time  also,  Robert  turned  the 
battle  into  a  rout  of  the  enemy. 

336 


Robert  the  Evil 

When  the  battle  was  over,  no  one  knew  what  had 
become  of  the  White  Knight ;  for,  although  the 
emperor  sent  his  men  to  observe  \^'hich  way  he 
went,  yet  he  had  vanished  before  they  could  come 
up  with  him ;  and  only  the  princess  knew  who 
he  was. 

A  short  time  after  this,  fresh  forces  of  the  Arabs 
crossed  the  Pyrenees,  and  the  remnant  of  the  defeated 
host  united  with  them  ;  and  now  the  army  was  so 
great  that  the  seneschal  and  the  Saracen  captain  at 
the  head  of  the  army  hoped  to  recover  all  they  had 
lost ;   and  they  marched  for  the  third  time  on  Paris. 

Before  the  Emperor  Charles  went  forth  to  battle, 
he  gave  orders  to  some  of  his  knights  to  closely 
observe  the  White  Knight,  should  he  again  appear, 
and  to  surround  him  and  bring  him  before  his  throne. 
They  promised  to  do  this,  and  when  the  day  of 
battle  came,  several  of  them  hid  in  a  wood  by 
the  way,  and  waited  for  the  coming  of  the  White 
Knight. 

But  this  was  in  vain.  Before  they  were  aware, 
Robert  was  in  the  midst  of  the  fight.  Then  the 
knights  followed  him,  dealing  strokes  of  their  swords 
right  and  left,  but  none  did  such  wonders  as  Robert. 
The  enemy  was  unable  to  withstand  this  onslaught, 
and  the  Saracen  host  broke  up  and  scattered  in 
greater  confusion  than  before. 

When  the  battle  was  over,  and  all  set  their  faces 
to  return  home,  Robert  also  resolved  to  gallop  back 
to  the  well  in  the  garden,  there  to  release  himself 
from  his  armour  as  heretofore.  But  the  knights 
who  had  been  ordered  to  watch  and  secure  him  had 
22  337 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

returned  to  the  wood,  and  were  awaiting  him.  When, 
therefore,  they  beheld  him  riding  towards  Paris,  they 
drew  up  across  his  way,  and  called  out  to  him, 
"  Gallant  knight !  speak  to  us  and  say  who  you  are, 
and  from  what  land  you  come ;  for  the  emperor 
desires  greatly  to  honour  and  reward  you."  When 
Robert  heard  this,  he  was  abashed.  He  struck 
spurs  into  his  horse  and  flew  away  over  hill  and 
vale ;  for  he  knew  that  he  was  working  out  his 
penance,  and  must  not  speak  or  receive  any  honour 
from  men.  One  of  the  boldest  of  the  knights 
pursued  him  on  a  good  horse,  but,  as  he  saw  that  he 
could  not  overtake  him,  he  threw  his  spear  after  him, 
not  with  intent  to  hurt  Robert,  but  to  strike  and 
arrest  the  white  horse.  However,  his  aim  was  bad, 
and  the  spear  struck  Robert  in  the  thigh ;  the  lance- 
head  entered  and  made  a  bad  wound,  but  the  shaft 
broke  off. 

Robert  rode  away  with  the  spear-barb  in  his  thigh. 
Thus  the  knight  did  not  discover  anything,  but  he 
took  up  his  broken  spear-shaft  and  rode  back  to  his 
companions,  and  all  were  sorrowful  that  he  should 
have  hurt  the  gallant  White  Knight. 

Robert  hastened  to  the  fountain,  and  then 
descended  from  the  horse  and  laid  aside  his  armour ; 
whereupon  all  vanished.  He  drew  the  spear-head 
from  his  thigh,  and  hid  it  between  two  big  stones  by 
the  fountain. 

Poor  Robert  did  not  know  how  to  get  his  wound 
dressed,  and  he  was  constrained  to  cover  it  with 
moss,  and  to  rip  out  the  lining  of  his  jacket  and 
bind  it  round  the  wound. 

338 


Robert  the  Evil 

Again  the  daughter  of  the  emperor  saw  from  a 
window  all  that  took  place ;  she  saw  what  a  gallant 
and  honourable  knight,  and  withal  how  modest, 
Robert  was,  and  she  began  to  regard  him  with 
tender  love. 

When  Robert  had  bound  up  his  wound,  he  went 
to  the  hall  of  the  palace,  to  get  some  food  ;  but  he 
limped,  on  account  of  his  wound ;  however,  he 
endeavoured  to  disguise  the  pain  he  was  in  as  best 
he  might. 

Soon  after  came  the  knight  who  had  wounded 
him  and  related  to  the  emperor  how  he  had  flung 
his  spear  at  the  White  Knight,  and  how  unwillingly  he 
had  struck  him,  and  how  that  the  head  of  the  spear 
was  left  in  his  flesh. 

"  The  best  thing  to  be  done,  sire,"  said  he,  "  is 
for  you  to  utter  a  proclamation,  and  publish  it 
throughout  the  empire,  and  if  there  be  any  knight  in 
white  harness  rides  a  white  horse,  that  he  should  be 
brought  to  your  presence,  and  that  he  bring  with 
him  the  spear-head  wherewith  he  was  hurt  in  the 
thigh,  showing  the  wound,  and  that  you  give  him 
your  daughter  to  wife,  and  half  your  empire  with 
her." 

The  emperor,  hearing  this,  approved  of  his  counsel, 
and  made  the  proclamation  and  published  it  through- 
out the  empire. 

The  proclamation  came  to  the  ears  of  the 
seneschal,  who  still  loved  the  dumb  princess,  and 
who  thought  that  an  opportunity  was  offered  him 
not  only  to  obtain  her,  but  also  to  recover  the  favour 
of  the  emperor.      He  had  kept  very  secret  that  he 

339 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

was  in  league  with  tlie  Saracens,  and  had  been  in 
their  camp,  and  had  stirred  them  up  to  war  against 
Charles  the  Great,  and  he  trusted  that  the  emperor 
knew  nothing  of  his  treachery. 

So  now  he  procured  for  himself  a  white  horse  and 
a  suit  of  silver  armour,  and  he  cut  his  thigh  and 
thrust  a  broken-off  lance-head  into  the  wound.  He 
hoped  thereby  to  deceive  the  emperor,  and  win  the 
princess.  When  he  had  thus  done,  he  armed  his 
servants  and  set  forth  for  Paris  with  a  great 
retinue. 

On  reaching  the  capital,  he  at  once  went  to  the 
palace,  and  saluted  Charles  the  Great,  and  said  to 
him,  "  My  lord,  I  am  he  that  relieved  you  three 
times  in  your  great  straits.  Three  times  have  I 
caused  you  to  have  honour  and  victory  against  the 
dogs  of  Saracens." 

The  emperor,  who  thought  not  of  treason  or 
deceit,  said,  "  You  are  a  valiant  and  wise  knight ; 
but  I  had  not  supposed  it  possible  that  you  could 
be  our  deliverer,  for,  indeed,  when  you  did  not 
answer  my  summons  to  arms,  I  took  you  for  for- 
sworn and  a  villain." 

The  seneschal  pretended  to  be  very  angry  at  this, 
and  he  said,  "  My  lord  emperor,  marvail  you  nothing 
hereat,  for  I  am  not  such  a  coward  as  you  take  me 
to  be?" 

So  saying,  he  drew  the  spear-head  from  his  thigh 
and  showed  it  to  the  emperor. 

The  knight  stood  by  who  had  wounded  Robert, 
and  he  looked  well  at  the  iron  spear-head,  and  was 
very  sure  it  was  not  the  same  as  that  which  he  had 

340 


Robert  the  Evil 

used.  But  he  thought  advisable  at  that  moment  to 
say  nothing,  for  he  was  afraid  of  the  seneschal,  and 
the  emperor  seemed  to  believe  him.  And,  indeed, 
Charlemagne  now  showed  great  honour  to  the 
seneschal,  and  was  ready  to  reward  him  for  the 
services  he  thought  that  he  had  done. 

And  now  the  time  had  come  when  Robert's 
penance  was  to  be  ended. 

He  lay  under  the  stairs  on  the  straw,  fevered  with 
his  wound,  and  he  heard  how  that  all  was  being  made 
ready  for  the  marriage  of  the  false  seneschal  with  the 
beautiful  princess.  He  knew  that  the  wicked  man 
was  claiming  honour  for  having  done  that  which  he 
had  never  acomplished.  Yet  Robert  did  not  believe 
that  the  hour  of  his  deliverance  had  come.  The  dog 
that  so  loved  him  licked  his  wound,  when  Robert 
took  off  the  plaster  of  moss.  And  lo  !  Robert  saw  that 
in  the  moss  was  a  drop  of  poisonous  black  blood, 
that  had  come  forth  from  his  veins  and  had  burned 
the  moss  wherever  it  touched.  This  he  now  threw 
away,  and  he  knew  that  the  end  of  his  sorrows  was  near. 

At  this  time  an  angel  appeared  to  the  old  hermit 
among  the  rocks  of  Brittany,  and  told  him  all  that 
had  happened  to  Robert,  and  bade  him  gird  up  his 
loins  and  hasten  to  Paris,  and  declare  to  Robert  that 
his  time  of  trial  was  accomplished. 

Now  there  arrived  the  wedding-day,  and  the  prin- 
cess was  full  of  shame  and  grief,  because  she  was  to 
marry  the  seneschal,  who  pretended  to  have  done 
those  gallant  deeds  which  she,  and  she  alone,  knew 
had  been  performed  by  the  poor  fool  who  lived  under 
the  stairs. 

341 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

She  wept  and  tore  her  hair  and  wrung  her  hands, 
but  all  in  vain.  She  could  not  speak  and  tell  her 
father  why  she  was  so  unhappy,  and  he  no  longer 
mistrusted  the  seneschal,  for  he  thought  that  he  was 
bound  by  his  word  to  give  her  to  the  man  who  had 
delivered  himself  and  his  army  in  their  great  peril  on 
three  several  occasions. 

So  a  great  procession  was  formed  to  go  to  the 
cathedral,  where  the  archbishop  was  to  marry  the 
seneschal  to  the  princess,  and  all  the  way  the  poor 
princess  wept  and  wrung  her  hands. 

Now,  when  she  stood  in  the  church,  and  the 
marriage  service  began,  then  all  at  once  the  string 
of  her  tongue  was  loosed,  and  she  cried  aloud,  "  My 
father  !  my  father !  how  can  you  believe  that  this 
wicked  man  and  false  traitor  was  he  who  assisted  you  ? 
All  he  says  is  a  lie.  Here,  in  this  city,  even  in  your 
own  palace,  lives  the  man  to  whom  you  and  all  here 
present  owe  your  lives.  I  have  long  known  who  was 
the  White  Knight ;  I  tried  once  to  show  you  what  I 
knew,  but  you  would  not  believe  me." 

Then  all  were  in  great  marvel  to  hear  the  dumb 
lady  speak. 

And  now  the  knight  who  had  wounded  the  White 
Knight  had  the  courage  to  speak  out.  "  Sire,"  said 
he,  "  the  spear-head  that  man  drew  from  his  thigh 
never  belonged  to  my  spear." 

Then  the  archbishop,  who  stood  before  the  altar, 
spoke  out,  and  bade  the  princess  declare  all.  But  she 
took  her  father  by  the  one  hand  and  the  archbishop  by 
the  other,  and  led  them  into  the  garden  to  the  foun- 
tain, and  showed  them  where  was  hidden  the  head  of 

342 


Robert  the  Evil 

the  spear.  And  the  knight  who  had  wounded 
Robert,  and  who  followed,  at  once  knew  that  this  was 
verily  the  barb  of  his  own  weapon.  He  brought  his 
shaft,  and  the  spear-head  and  the  piece  of  wood  still 
attached  to  it  fitted  exactly. 

Then  the  princess  said,  "  Thrice  have  we  been 
delivered  from  the  heathen  by  the  valour  of  this 
brave  knight.  Thrice  have  I  seen  his  horse  and 
harness,  which  he  has  resigned  thrice  when  his  work 
was  accomplished.  What  has  become  of  horse  and 
armour,  that  I  know  not,  but  the  man  himself  is 
here.  Each  time,  when  he  had  done  what  he  was 
sent  to  do,  he  went  and  laid  himself  down  among 
the  dogs."  To  her  father  she  said,  "  He  it  is  who 
has  saved  your  honour  and  your  land.  It  is  yours 
to  reward  him.  Let  us  go  and  learn  the  truth  from 
his  own  lips." 

Then  they  all  went  to  where  Robert  lay  on  the 
straw,  and  his  faithful  old  friend  the  dog  was  licking 
his  wound.  The  emperor,  and  the  archbishop,  the 
princess,  the  nobles  of  the  land  and  the  great 
ladies,  all  were  present.  They  stood  in  the  hall,  on 
the  stair,  in  the  doorway.  And  when  Robert  saw 
them,  he  hastily  drew  his  rags  over  his  wound. 

But  the  emperor  said  to  him,  "  Friend,  I  pray  you 
suffer  us  to  look  at  the  wound  in  your  thigh.  I  must 
needs  see  it." 

Robert  now  understood  what  Charles  the  Great 
meant,  and  he  pretended  not  to  comprehend.  He 
took  up  the  straw  and  began  to  bite  and  tear  it,  and 
then  to  toss  it  about  and  play  with  it,  like  a  fool. 

Then  all  at  once,  as  he  looked  up,  he  saw  the  face 
343 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

of  the  old  hermit  from  Brittany.  The  old  man  had 
entered  and  stood  behind  the  emperor.  Then  he 
dropped  the  straw  and  remained  motionless. 

The  hermit  in  a  loud  voice  cried  out,  "  Hearken 
unto  me,  you  Robert ;  and  all  ye  who  stand  by^ 
This  is  the  man  who  was  called  Robert  the  Evil,  and 
indeed  with  right,  for  much  evil  had  he  done.  But 
henceforth  shall  he  be  called  Robert  the  Good,  for 
the  evil  he  once  wrought,  he  will  recompense  with 
much  and  abundant  good.  And  now,  Robert,  I 
declare  to  thee  that  the  time  of  thy  probation  is  at 
an  end.  Serve  and  honour  God,  love  mankind,  your 
brethren.      And  I  am  sent  to  open  your  mouth." 

Then  the  hermit  stood  forward,  and  he  touched 
Robert  on  the  lips,  and  Robert  opened  his  mouth, 
and  forthwith  there  flew  away  from  him  a  tiny  black 
fly,  so  thin  and  so  feeble  that  it  seemed  not  to  have 
strength  to  move  its  wings. 

Then  Robert  fell  on  his  knees  and  said,  "  King 
of  Heaven,  I  thank  Thee  that  I  who  have  been  the 
worst  of  sinners  am  suffered  to  arise  and  do  Thee 
service  in  the  future." 

Now,  when  the  emperor,  and  the  archbishop,  and 
the  princess,  and  all  who  were  present  heard  Robert 
speak  so  well  and  so  rationally,  they  were  filled  with 
joy  at  their  hearts. 

Robert,  however,  at  once  bade  all  farewell,  for  he 
longed  to  return  home  and  see  his  father  and 
mother. 

When  he  neared  Normandy, — or  Neustria,  as  it 
was  then  called, — he  heard  that  his  father  was  dead, 
and   that   an   usurper   had   driven   away  the  duchess 

344 


Robert  the  Evil 

and  ruled  the  land  with  violence.  Robert  at  once 
proclaimed  that  he  was  duke,  and  summoned  the 
knights  of  the  land  to  him,  and  without  much  diffi- 
culty he  succeeded  in  expelling  the  usurper.  There 
was  great  joy  when  his  mother  met  him,  and  learned 
how  altered  a  man  he  was. 

As  soon  as  Robert  had  established  order  and  good 
government  in  his  duchy,  he  hasted  back  to  Paris, 
where  a  great  wedding  was  celebrated,  and  he 
married  the  daughter  of  Charlemagne,  who  had  been 
dumb,  but  now  spoke  plain. 

Robert  with  a  great  retinue  came  to  Rouen  in 
Normandy  with  his  wife,  and  the  people  received 
both  with  great  joy. 

Robert  ruled  in  justice  and  with  mercy,  and  the 
land  had  peace  and  flourished  under  his  sway. 

One  day  a  messenger  came  to  him  from  the 
emperor,  to  say  that  the  seneschal,  who  had  escaped 
unhurt  from  Paris  after  his  treachery  had  been  dis- 
covered, had  again  leagued  with  the  Saracens,  and 
was  marching  into  Gaul. 

Then  Robert  collected  an  army  and  hastened  to 
the  assistance  of  Charlemagne.  A  great  battle  was 
fought,  and  in  it  Robert  with  his  own  hand  clove 
him  from  crown  to  shoulders  by  one  mighty 
blow. 

After  this  he  returned  to  Normandy,  and  lived 
long  in  love  and  honour  with  his  noble  wife.  He 
was  feared  by  his  enemies  and  loved  by  his  friends 
and  by  his  subjects.  He  died  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
two,  and  was  known  as  duke  by  the  name  of  Richard 
the  Good. 

345 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Note. — This  is  one  of  the  noblest  of  mediseval  romances.  On  it 
Meyerbeer  based  his  opera  of  "  Roberto  il  Diavolo."  It  has  not 
hitherto  been  adapted  for  children  because  of  a  difficulty  at  the 
beg-inning-  to  which  objection  might  be  taken.  An  attempt  has  been 
made  in  this  version  to  g-et  over  the  difficulty.  The  tale  occurs  in 
an  early  French  metrical  romance  of  the  thirteenth  century.  There 
was  also  a  mediseval  mystery  play  on  the  same  topic.  The  story 
was  turned  into  prose  and  published  at  L)-ons  in  1496.  The 
English  edition  was  by  Wynkyn  de  Worde,  about  1490. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  there  is  some  sort  of  historical  basis 
for  the  story.  Robert  has  been  supposed  to  have  been  the  son  ot 
one  Aubert,  first  Duke  of  Neustria  under  Pepin,  the  father  of 
Charlemagne,  about  751.  This  Aubert  had  a  wife  named  Inde, 
sister  of  the  Duke  of  Burgundy,  by  whom  he  had  a  son  called 
Robert,  who  received  the  bad  nickname  on  account  of  the  enor- 
mities committed  by  him  in  the  Forest  of  Rouveray.  Robert  was 
the  father  of  Richard  Sans-peur,  who  is  also  a  hero  of  romance. 
The  stories  of  both  were  incorporated  inLes  Chro7iiques  et  excellents 
Faits  des  Dues,  Princes,  Barotis  et  Seigneurs  de  la  7whle  Diichd  de 
Nonnandie,"  Paris,  s.a. 

The  story  of  Robert  has  either  been  made  up  from  the  legends 
of  St.  Alexis  and  that  of  St.  Roque,  or  these  latter  have  borrowed 
from  the  legend  of  Robert.  St.  Roque  is  always  represented  with 
the  dog  and  the  wound  in  his  thigh.  He  is  ever  in  pilgrim  garb  ; 
and  in  the  original  story  Robert  goes  in  pilgrimage  to  Rome,  and 
the  incidents  of  his  penance  take  place  at  Rome.  As,  however,  he 
seems  to  have  been  a  contemporary  with  Charles  the  Great,  and 
is  associated  with  his  wars  against  the  Arabs,  I  have  transferred 
the  scene  to  Paris. 

Robert  I.,  sixth  Duke  of  Normandy,'wasalsosurnamed  by  some 
*'The  Devil,"  by  other  "The  Magnificent";  but  he  was  the 
second  son  of  Richard  the  Good,  and  was  father  of  William  the 
Conqueror.  It  is  not  possible  to  fit  the  story  to  this  duke  ;  but  it  is  by 
no  means  surprising  that  as  his  name  was  Robert,  and  he  showed 
himself  somewhat  rough  in  dealing  with  his  enemies,  the  nickname 
so  well  known  through  tradition  should  have  also  attached  to  him. 

The  marvellous  horse  and  armour  are  an  Oriental  importation, 
and  this  incident  can  hardly  be  earlier  than  the  crusades.  It  is 
also  introduced  into  other  folk-tales. 

The  old  English  prose  romance  was  reprinted  by  M.  Thorns  in 
1828,   and  again  in  1858.      It  reposes  on  the  metrical  romance  ot 


Robert  the  Evil 

• '  Robert  le  Diable  "  of  the  thirteenth  century,  which  was  first  printed 
b\  Trebutien  in  1837,  from  a  MS.  in  the  Bibliotheque  Royale  at 
Paris.  There  is  also  a  metrical  English  romance  on  the  same 
subject,  probably  of  the  end  of  the  thirteenth  or  beg^inning-  of  the 
fourteenth  century,  which  was  printed  in  London  in  1798.  The 
story  must  have  been  extant  before  the  battle  of  Hastings,  as 
Henry  of  Huntingdon  informs  us  that  William  the  Conqueror  re- 
ferred to  it  in  his  address  to  the  soldiers  :  "  He  overcame  the  devil 
himself,  with  whom  he  wrestled,  and  cast  down  and  bound  him, 
leaving  him  a  shameful  spectacle  to  angels. 


34/ 


XVII 

THE  CROWN  OF  WHITE  ROSES 


349 


XVII 

THE  CROWN  OF  WHITE  ROSES 


There  lived  once  on  a  time  a  mason ;  he  was 
young,  an  excellent  workman,  and  very  diligent. 
Consequently  he  was  much  sought  after. 

Now  he  saw  a  very  modest,  beautiful  girl,  and  he 
went  to  her  mother's  house  to  ask  to  have  her  as  his 
wife. 

The  mother  answered  and  said,  "  My  daughter  is 
the  best  girl  in  the  world ;  but  she  is  very  poor. 
Indeed,  she  has  got  as  her  dower  nothing  whatever 
but  a  crown  of  white  roses.  She  has  a  fairy  god- 
mother, and  this  fairy  at  her  birth  gave  her  this  rather 
than  riches.  The  property  of  the  crown  of  white 
roses  is  this  :  Whenever  she  is  spoken  roughly  to  and 
frightened,  the  roses  curl  up ;  and  when  she  is 
approached  with  words  of  treachery,  they  close  alto- 
gether ;  should  anyone  venture  to  kiss  her  except 
her  father  and  mother,  and  her  husband  when  she 
has  one,  all  the  leaves  of  the  roses  will  fall  off. 
Look  here ! "  said  the  old  woman,  and   she  pointed 

351 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

to  a  wreath  of  white  roses  that  hung  against  the 
wall. 

The  mason  looked  and  saw  a  beautiful  garland, 
and  all  the  white  rose-leaves  were  quivering  and 
curling. 

"  That  is  because  my  daughter  is  frightened," 
said  the  widow ;  "  she  saw  you  coming  here,  and  she 
knows  you  have  come  after  her." 

"  But  I  am  not  speaking  roughly,"  said  the  man. 

"  No ;  but  you  are  asking  for  her  to  be  your  wife, 
and  that  has  frightened  her.  Now  I  will  go  and  call 
her." 

Then  the  young  girl  was  summoned,  and  all  the 
rose-leaves  trembled  and  curled  as  she  came  in, 
and  listened  to  the  mason  asking  her  to  be  his 
wife. 

She  looked  up  at  the  crown,  but  as  the  flowers 
remained  open,  and  did  not  shut,  she  knew  he  was  an 
honest  man,  and  meant  nothing  but  good. 

So  she  agreed  to  be  his  wife. 

Then  he  asked  her  to  let  him  kiss  her. 

But  she  drew  back  in  a  great  fright,  and  said, 
"  No,  I  dare  not,  till  you  are  my  husband,  or  all 
the  leaves  of  the  roses  will  fall  off,  and  the  virtue  of 
the  garland  will  be  at  an  end." 

To  make  a  long  story  short,  the  marriage  took 
place,  and  the  mason  got  a  very  sweet  and  good 
wife,  who  cared  only  for  her  house  and  her  husband, 
to  keep  the  first  tidy  and  the  other  happy. 

Now  the  house  occupied  by  the  mason  was  a  bit 
of  an  old  castle  that  had  been  abandoned,  and  would 
have  fallen  into   total  ruin  if  he  had  not  spent  much 


The  Crown  of  White  Roses 

time,  when  not  otherwise  engaged,  in  mending  the 
roof,  patching  up  the  walls,  and  making  it  habitable. 
Adjoining  the  entrance  hall  was  a  tower,  and  under 
this  tower  was  a  dungeon.  In  the  floor  was  a  loose 
board  on  a  hinge,  so  contrived  that  whoever  stepped 
on  the  board  tumbled  through  into  the  dungeon 
beneath,  from  which  it  was  impossible  for  anyone  to 
extricate  himself  without  assistance  from  above. 

The  mason  told  his  wife  to  be  very  careful  not  to 
go  into  the  tower  because  of  this  trap-door. 

They  lived  very  happily  for  some  time  together, 
and  then  the  mason  was  asked  to  go  and  build  a 
grand  dining-hall  for  a  nobleman  at  a  distance ;  and 
as  the  pay  offered  was  good,  he  consented  to  go. 

Before  he  departed,  he  said  to  his  dear  wife,  "  I 
shall  take  the  wreath  of  roses  with  me,  and  I  shall 
look  at  it  every  day,  and  if  I  see  the  leaves  tremble 
and  curl,  I  shall  know  you  are  frightened,  and  if  I 
see  the  roses  close,  I  shall  know  that  someone  is 
approaching  you  with  words  of  treachery ;  and  if 
there  seems  to  be  real  danger,  then  I  will  come  back 
to  you  at  once.  If  you  are  in  real  alarm,  send  any 
troublesome  person  into  the  tower-room,  and  tumble 
him  into  the  dungeon,  and  I  will  attend  to  the  matter 
on  my  return,  or  you  can  send  for  me,  if  you  wish 
it.'' 

Having  said  this,  the  mason  went  away,  and 
carried  the  garland  of  roses  with  him.  He 
reached  the  nobleman's  castle,  and  was  set  his  task, 
and  worked  at  it  diligently  and  skilfully.  The 
nobleman  came  every  day  to  see  how  his  hall  was 
getting  on,  and  he  sometimes  stood  beside  the  mason 
23  353 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

in  his  workshop  when   he  was   engaged  on  his  plans, 
or  in  doing  a  bit  of  stone-carving. 

One  day  he  noticed  the  wreath  of  white  roses 
hanging  against  the  wall,  near  the  table  at  which 
the  man  worked  out  his  plans.  Then  he  asked  the 
mason  about  it,  and  heard  the  wonderful  story  of 
the  virtues  of  the  garland. 

Well,  this  nobleman  was  an  inquisitive  man,  and 
he  thought  and  thought  about  the  wreath  of  roses, 
and  had  no  rest ;  but  made  up  his  mind  to  go  and 
see  the  mason's  wife,  and  find  if  he  could  snatch  a 
kiss,  and  then  come  quickly  back  and  discover 
whether  by  this  means  he  could  make  the  roses  cast 
all  their  leaves. 

So  he  taunted  the  mason,  and  said  he  did  not 
believe  what  he  said,  and  that  this  was  all  a  story 
made  up  to  try  him,  whether  he  were  a  fool  or  not. 

The  mason  persisted  in  what  he  asserted,  and  the 
nobleman  continued  incredulous.  At  last  he  said 
to  the  mason,  "  Will  you  let  me  go  and  try  if  I  can 
get  a  kiss  ?  " 

"  You  may  go  if  you  like,"  said  the  mason  ;  "  but 
I  know  very  well  that  you  will  get  none,  and  if  you 
get  badly  off  by  the  expedition,  blame  yourself  and 
not  me." 

"  Very  well,"  said  the  nobleman  ;  "  I  will  risk  it, 
and  take  the  consequences,  which  cannot  be  bad.  I 
can  but  be  refused." 

So  away  he  went. 

Now  he  rested  not  till  he  reached  the  door  of  the 
house  where  lived  the  mason  when  at  home.  He 
knocked,  and   was   admitted.      The  young  wife  iras 

354 


The  Crown  of  White  Roses 

frightened  when  she  saw  him,  for  she  thought  that 
something  must  have  happened  to  her  husband. 

The  nobleman  said,  "  I  have  come  to  ask  you  to 
give  me  a  kiss.  Your  husband  has  allowed  me  to 
come  and  try.  I  will  give  you  twenty  pounds  if 
you  will,  as  I  am  very  curious  to  test  the  virtue  of 
the  wreath  of  roses.  And  now  I  have  seen  you,  I 
shall  be  ever  your  debtor  if  you  will  allow  me  one 
kiss  of  your  cherry  lips." 

Then  the  young  wife  said,  "  My  lord,  how  can 
you  ask  such  a  thing,  when  you  are  splashed  with 
mud  all  over  your  face  ?  Go  into  the  tower-room 
and  wash  your  face,  and  then  we  will  talk  further 
about  this  said  kiss." 

So  the  nobleman  thought  that  as  he  rode  along, 
and  passed  market  people  on  the  road,  mud  had 
been  splashed  from  their  horses'  hoofs  over  his  face, 
and  he  hastily  opened  the  door  into  the  tower-room, 
walked  forward,  trod  on  the  loose  plank,  and  went 
head  over  heels  down  into  the  dungeon. 

Now  the  mason  had  kept  his  eyes  fixed  on  the 
wreath,  and  he  had  seen  the  fluttering  of  the 
rose-leaves,  and  the  flowers  closing.  He  was  in 
alarm,  and  threw  aside  his  tools,  so  as  to  start,  but 
he  looked  again  at  the  wreath,  and  all  the  roses  were 
open  again.  So  he  knew  that  everything  was  well 
with  his  dear  wife  at  home. 

The  nobleman,  when  he  came  to  himself  in  the 
dungeon,  found  it  all  dark,  and  though  he  groped 
about,  he  could  discover  no  possible  way  out ;  so  he 
began  to  shout.  The  mason's  wife  paid  no  attention 
to  him  for  a  long  time.      At  last  she  went   into   the 

355 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

tower-room,  raised    the   trap-door,   and    asked   what 
the  captive  wanted. 

He  begged  and  implored  to  be  let  out,  but  she 
would  not  hearken  to  his  entreaties.  She  said  that 
she  intended  to  keep  him  there  till  her  husband's 
return. 

When  the  nobleman  found  it  was  no  good  his 
asking  to  be  let  out,  then  he  begged  that  some  food 
might  be  let  down  to  him.  The  mason's  wife 
answered  that  in  her  house  there  were  no  idlers, 
whoever  ate  had  earned  his  victuals,  and  that  if  the 
nobleman  desired  food,  he  must  spin  till  he  had 
gained  enough  to  pay  for  his  meal. 

"  Spin  !  "  exclaimed  the  captive  ;  "  that  is  woman's 
work.      I  never  span  in  my  life." 

"  Nevertheless,  you  must  spin  or  starve,"  answered 
the  mason's  wife. 

Well,  he  remained  tossing  and  stamping  about 
in  the  dark  dungeon  some  hours.  At  last  he  got  so 
ravenously  hungry,  that  he  shouted  out  that  he  was 
ready  to  do  the  work  set  him.  So  the  woman  threw 
down  a  bundle  of  flax  and  a  distaff  for  him  to  work 
upon,  and  hung  a  little  lamp  in  the  dungeon,  by  the 
light  of  which  he  might  see  to  work. 

The  nobleman  now  set  to  work  spinning,  and 
though  he  was  clumsy  at  first  with  his  fingers,  yet 
in  time  he  had  spun  a  whole  spindleful  of  fine  thread. 
When  this  was  done,  he  was  quite  sick  and  faint  with 
hunger.  He  called,  and  the  woman  came ;  she  let 
down  a  little  basket,  and  he  put  his  hank  of  thread 
in  ;  and,  as  she  was  satisfied,  she  passed  down  to  him 
some  bread  and  water,  upon  which  he  fed  ravenously. 


The  Crown  of  White  Roses 

Now  it  must  be  told  how  that  people  wondered 
much  at  the  disappearance  of  the  nobleman.  Some 
thought  he  had  gone  to  court  because  summoned  by 
the  king ;  some  that  he  had  gone  fighting  in  France  ; 


some   that   he    had    been    waylaid    by   robbers    and 
murdered. 

It   happened    that    one   day    the    steward    of    the 
nobleman   came   into  the  mason's  workshop,  and  he 

357 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

also  asked  the  meaning  of  the  ever-blooming  crown 
of  roses.  Then  the  mason  told  him,  as  he  had  told 
the  nobleman. 

Now  the  steward  was  a  cunning  man,  and  he 
thought  within  himself  that  he  would  go  and  try  if 
he  could  get  a  kiss  ;  and  if  he  did,  and  the  leaves  fell 
off,  then  this  crown  would  be  a  great  curiosity,  and 
he  would  buy  it,  and  go  round  the  country  in  a  van 
showing  it,  and  make  a  great  deal  of  money  by  it. 
He  did  not  know  that  if  once  the  leaves  fell  off,  they 
would  never  come  out  again,  and  he  thought  that 
the  wreath  would  answer  just  as  well  for  his  own 
wife  as  for  that  of  the  mason. 

So  he  also  went  a  journey  to  the  house  where 
dwelt  the  mason's  wife.  He  knocked  at  the  door, 
and  was  admitted,  and  he  began  to  flatter  and  praise 
the  woman,  and  say  all  the  honeyed  things  he  could 
think  of,  and  then,  when  he  supposed  that  he  had 
turned  her  head  with  his  flattery,  he  popped  out  a 
petition  that  he  might  have  a  kiss. 

"  Oh,"  said  she,  "  how  can  you  ask  such  a  thing, 
when  you  have  been  stung  by  a  bee  on  your  lip, 
and  it  is  swollen  ?  " 

"  I  did  not  know  I  had  been  stung,"  said  he. 

"  Go  into  the  tower-room.  You  will  find  a  mirror 
there.      Look  into  it,  and  see  for  yourself." 

So  he  opened  the  door,  walked  in,  and  tumbled 
through  the  trap  -  door  head  over  heels  into  the 
dungeon. 

When  he  came  to  himself,  he  was  greatly  astonished 
to  see  there  his  master  hard  at  work,  spinning  thread. 
The  steward   asked   whether  it  was   not  possible  to 

358 


The  Crown  of  White  Roses 


get  out,  but  his  master  said  that  there  was  no  chance 
at  all. 

After  some  time,  the  steward  began  to  clamour 
for  food.  The  mason's  wife  answered  him  through 
the  trap-door,  that  she  would  give  him  none  unless 
he  earned  it  by  swingling,  that  is  to  say,  beating  flax. 

The  steward  said,  "Then  have  I  wonder; 
Rather  would  I  die  of  hunger, 

Without  housel  and  shrift." 
The  lord  said,   "So  did  I  feel; 
But  you'll  work  if  you  hunger  well, 

And  work  what  work  is  thee  brought." 
The  lord  sat  and  did  his  work  ; 
The  steward  sulked,  it  drew  dark. 

Great  sorrow  was  in  his  thought. 

The  lord  now  shouted,  and  the  woman  came  to 
the  trap-door,  and  he  said,  "  Dame,  I  have  spun  all 
the  line,  now  let  me  have  something  to  eat." 

He  passed  up  what  he  had  spun,  and  some  dinner 
was  let  down  to  him.      He  ate  up  every  scrap. 

The  lord  ate  and  drank  fast, 

The  steward  hungered  at  the  last, 

And  said,   "My  lord,  give  me  some." 
The  lord  said,   "Not  a  morsel,  not  a  sop, 
Shalt  thou  have  go  down  thy  throat. 

Nay — not  so  much  as  a  crumb  ; 
Unless  thou  help  to  swingle  line  (flax), 
Much  hunger  will  be  thine. 

So  work — and  cease  thy  moan." 

The  steward  was  obliged  to  give  in,  he  was 
famished.  He  entreated  for  work,  and  the  woman 
threw  in  a  great  bundle  of  flax  for  him  to  beat  with 

359 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

a  rod,  till  he  had  made  the  fibre  tender,  and  had 
beat  away  all  the  worthless  matter.  So  the  steward 
worked  hard,  battering  with  a  stick  on  the  hemp  to 
disengage  the  fibre,  and  becoming  hot  and  exhausted 
with  his  work.  But  as  he  could  get  no  food  till  he 
had  earned  it,  he  did  not  dare  to  give  over. 

It  must  now  be  told  that  the  mason  one  day  saw 
his  wreath  of  roses  all  of  a  quiver,  and  then  the 
flowers  close  up  more  like  buds  than  full  roses.  He 
was  much  alarmed,  and  he  pulled  on  his  coat  and 
put  aside  his  tools  to  hasten  away  to  his  wife's 
assistance,  when  all  at  once  the  roses  spread  out 
again  as  before. 

There  was  great  wonder  when  it  was  found  that 
the  steward  had  disappeared  as  well  as  the  nobleman. 
And  now  the  parish  constable  took  the  matter  up, 
and  began  to  inquire,  and  soon  learned  that  the  last 
that  had  been  seen  of  the  nobleman  was  on  a  market 
day,  riding  in  the  direction  of  the  mason's  house. 

On  further  inquiry,  he  learned  that  the  last  seen 
of  the  steward  was  by  a  shepherd  who  had  observed 
him  riding  a  mule  into  the  yard  of  the  mason's  house. 

So  he  started  on  a  donkey,  and  jogged  along  till 
he  arrived  at  the  old  castle  which  had  been  turned 
into  a  house  by  the  mason.  And  he  tumbled  off 
his  ass,  and  kicked  and  hammered  with  his  fists  at 
the  door  till  it  was  opened,  and  then  he  burst  in, 
panting  and  blowing,  and  threw  himself  into  a  chair. 

When  he  had  got  his  breath,  he  began  to  bluster 
and  shout,  "  Where  are  the  nobleman  and  the 
steward  ?  They  have  been  seen  coming  this  way. 
I   am   sure  you   have  some  knowledge  as   to  where 

360 


The  Crown  of  White  Roses 

they  are.  I  will  see.  I  will  have  you  hanged  if 
you  have  made  away  with  them." 

"If  you  think  that  I  have  done  them  harm,  go 
and  look  all  about  my  house,"  said  the  wife.  "  For 
my  part,  I  think  I  have  done  them  good." 

"  I'll  find  out.  I  am  a  man  of  the  law.  I  am 
parish  constable.  I'll  ransack  your  house  from  attic 
to  cellar." 

Then  he  dashed  through  the  door  into  the  tower- 
room,  trod  on  the  loose  plank,  and  away  he  went 
head  over  heels  down  into  the  dungeon. 

When  he  came  to  his  senses,  he  looked  round  and 
saw  to  his  astonishment  the  nobleman  spinning,  and 
the  steward  swingling. 

The  steward  and  also  the  knig-ht 
Said,   "  Constable,  man  of  might, 

Come  and  sit  us  by." 
The  constable  began  to  stare, 
For  he  was,  he  knew  not  where. 

But  well  he  knew  the  knight, 
And  the  steward  working  the  flax. 
He  said,   "Sirs,   may  I  ax 

What  you  do  here,   this  night?" 
The  steward  answered,   "Well  may  you  fare, 
You  came  to  see  where  we  two  were. 

Now  help  this  linen  to  dight." 

The  constable  stormed  and  stamped  about,  and 
vowed  he  was  not  accustomed  to  do  woman's  work, 
and  do  it  he  would  not. 

The  steward  answered  that  they  were  as  good 
men  as  he,  but  they  could  not  help  themselves,  work 
they  must,  or  starve. 

The    constable    declared    he   would   rather   starve 

361 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

than  do  that  sort  of  work,  to  which  the  steward 
retorted  that  he  would  whistle  another  tune  presently. 

After  a  while  the  woman  let  down  the  basket, 
and  the  nobleman  and  steward  sent  up  their  tale  of 
work,  which  was  approved,  and  their  food  let  down 
to  them  in  return.  Whereupon  they  set  to  eat 
ravenously,  and  ate  up  all,  nor  let  the  constable  have 
a  crumb  of  bread  nor  a  drop  of  water. 

After  some  hours  he  became  furiously  hungry, 
and  began  to  bellow  and  knock,  and  when  the 
woman  opened  the  trap-door,  he  called  to  her  to  let 
him  have  his  task,  for  he  could  not  withstand  the 
pangs  of  hunger  much  longer.  So  she  threw  him  down 
flax  which  he  was  to  comb,  or  heckle,  as  it  was  called. 

Thus  they  sat  and  wroug-ht  fast 
Till  the  week's  days  were  past  ; 

Then  the  wrig-ht,  home  came  he. 
And  as  he  came  to  his  house  side, 
He  heard  a  noise  that  was  not  ryde  (small), 

Of  persons  two  or  three. 
One  of  them  combed  line  (flax), 
Another  swyngled  good  and  fine, 

Before  the  swyngling  tree. 
The  third  did  reel  and  spin, 
Meat  and  drink  therewith  to  win, 

Great  need  thereof  had  he. 
Thus  the  wrig-ht  stood  hearkening" ; 
His  wife  aware  of  his  coming-. 

All  to  meet  him  went  she. 
"Dame,"  he  said,   **  what  is  this  din? 
I  hear  a  g-reat  noise  within. 

Tell  me,  sweet,  with  speed." 
"Sir,"  she  said,   "g-ood  workmen  three 
Are  come  to  help  both  you  and  me." 

Then  she  took  her  husband  by  one  hand  ;   in   the 
362 


The  Crown  of  White  Roses 

other  he  carried  the  wreath  of  roses,  all  in  full  blow, 
and  she  led  him  into  the  house,  and  there  the  noise 
was  greater.  Next  she  conducted  him  into  the 
tower-room,  and  here  it  was  louder  still. 

Then  she  raised  the  trap-door,  and  the  mason 
looked  down,  and  by  the  light  of  the  lamp  saw  the 
constable  with  an  iron  comb  heckling  or  combing 
out  the  flax  that  the  steward  with  much  labour  had 
swingled,  or  beaten  to  fibre,  and  the  nobleman  sitting 
cross-legged  in  the  straw,  spinning,  and  whistling  as 
he  span. 

When  the  mason  saw  this,  he  dropped  the  trap- 
door in  the  floor,  and  went  into  a  fit  of  laughter,  till 
the  tears  ran  down  his  cheeks. 

It  was  some  time  before  he  recovered  himself 
sufficiently  to  look  down  again.      Then  he  said — 

"Good  sirs!  what  do  you  here?" 

They  answered,   "  Earning-  our  meat  dear 

With  great  travail  and  pain. 
We  pray  you  help  us  to  get  out, 
And  we  will  promise  without  doubt 

Never  to  come  here  again." 

Well,  after  a  while  he  gave  way,  let  down  a  strong 
cord,  and  pulled  the  men  up  one  after  the  other. 

Then  the  lord  opened  his  purse  and  poured  out 
all  the  money  in  it  into  the  hand  of  the  mason,  and 
said,  "  I  shall  never  forget  the  lesson  taught  me 
by  your  wife.  If  a  man  will  not  work,  neither  shall 
he  eat." 

Then  the  steward  did  the  same ;  he  said,  "  I  gladly 
give  you  my  money,  for  you  are  a  lucky  man  to 
have  so  wise  and  good   a  wife.      I   have  learned  one 

363 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

thing,      A  man   may  be  over  grasping,  and  so  over- 
reach himself." 

And  then  the  constable  opened  his  purse,  and 
gav^e  all  it  contained  to  the  mason,  and  said,  "  Take 
this,  and  hold  your  tongue  about  what  has  happened. 
If  this  gets  abroad,  all  my  consequence  will  be  gone." 

Thus  the  \vrig"ht's  g"arland  was  fau*  of  hue, 
And  his  wife  was  both  clev^er  and  true, 

Whereat  he  was  full  blithe. 
And  I  take  witness  great  and  small, 
Such  be  most  women,  if  not  all, 

That  now  be  alive. 

Note. — The  lay  here  rewritten  exists  in  MS.  in  the  Lambeth 
Library,  and  was  printed  for  the  Early  Eng-lish  Text  Society  by 
Mr.  Furnivall,  1865.  The  date  of  the  poem  is  about  1460,  for  at 
the  conclusion  is  an  allusion,  in  connection  with  the  "white  roses," 
to  the  accession  of  Edward  IV.,  and  the  triumph  of  the  White 
Rose  of  the  House  of  York  over  the  Red  Rose  of  the  House  of 
Lancaster.     As  an  example  of  the  spelling-  I  give  the  last  lines. 

Here  endyth  the  wryghtes  processe  trewe 
Wyth  hys  garland  feyre  of  hewe 

That  neuer  dyd  fade  the  coloure. 
It  was  made  by  the  avjse 
Of  hys  wywes  moder  wytty  and  wyse 

Of  flourys  most  of  honoure. 
Of  roses  whyte  that  wylle  nott  fade, 
Whi'ch  floure  alle  Ynglond  doth  glade 

Wyth  trew  loues  medelyd  in  syght ; 
Unto  the  whych  floure  I  wys 
The  loue  of  God  and  of  the  comenys 

Subdued  bene  of  rj-ght. 

The  only  alterations  made  in  the  story  are  such  as  seem 
necessary  for  adaptation  to  a  child's  tale. 


364 


XVI II 

THE   BADGER   IN   THE  BAG 


Powell  was  the  name  of  a  prince  in   South  Wales, 
and  he  had  his  palace  at  Narberth. 

On  the  hill  above  his  palace  stood  a  grey  old 
cairn  of  piled-up  stones  and  of  unknown  antiquity. 

One  day  Powell  was  on  the  hill,  when  he  said  he 
would  stand  upon  the  cairn.  Then  some  of  his 
wise  men  said  to  him,  "  Sire,  it  is  peculiar  to  that 
mound,  that  whoever  sits  on  it  shall  come  into  some 
strange  adventure." 

Then  Powell  went  up  the  cairn,  and  seated 
himself  on  the  top. 

Thereupon,  all  at  once,  he  saw  a  beautiful  lady 
on  a  snow-white  horse,  in  a  garment  of  gold  tissue, 
come  riding  by.  The  horse  seemed  to  move  at  an 
even  pace,  and  to  go  slowly  ambling. 

Powell  said  to  his  men,  "  Who  can  that  lady  be  ?  " 

None  could  answer  him. 

Then  he  said,  "Go  one  of  you  and  salute  her, 
and  ask  her  name." 

367 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

And  one  of  them  arose,  and  came  into  the  road 
to  meet  her,  but  she  ambled  past,  and  he  followed 
as  fast  as  he  could,  being  on  foot ;  but  in  no  way 
could  he  catch  her  up.  Then,  when  he  saw  his 
efforts  were  in  vain,  he  returned  to  Powell  and  said, 
"  Sire,  it  is  not  possible  for  anyone  to  overtake  her, 
he  being  on  foot." 

"  Then,"  said  the  prince,  "go  to  the  palace,  and 
take  the  fleetest  horse  thou  seest,  and  pursue  her." 

The  man  took  a  horse,  and  went  forward.  And 
he  came  to  an  open,  level  plain,  and  put  spurs  to  his 
horse ;  and  the  more  he  urged  his  horse,  the  farther 
she  seemed  to  be  from  him.  Yet  she  held  the  same 
pace  as  at  first.  And  his  horse  began  to  fail ;  and 
when  his  horse  failed  him,  he  returned  to  the  place 
where  Powell  was,  and  said,  "  Sire,  it  is  of  no  avail 
for  anyone  to  go  after  that  lady.  I  know  of  no 
horse  swifter  than  this,  and  it  availed  me  nothing  to 
pursue  her." 

"  Of  a  truth,"  said  the  prince,  "  some  illusion  is 
here." 

Next  day  he  went  forth  again  to  the  cairn  on  the 
hill,  and  before  he  ascended  it,  he  stationed  a  young 
man  near,  ready  mounted  on  his  fleetest  horse,  and 
bade  him  ride  after  the  lady  the  moment  he  gave 
the  signal,  should  she  again  appear. 

Now  no  sooner  was  Powell  seated  on  the  cairn 
than  once  more  the  lady  appeared,  on  the  same 
white  horse  and  in  the  same  apparel,  coming  along 
the  same  road. 

Then  Powell  signed,  and  the  young  man  put 
spurs   into  his   horse ;  but  the  lady  trotted   by,  and 

368 


The  Badger  in  the  Bag 

though  his  horse  strained  in  pursuit,  yet  was  it  not 
possible  for  him  to  come  up  with  the  lady.  And 
the  more  he  urged  his  horse,  the  farther  she  was  from 
him.  Yet  she  rode  not  faster  than  before.  When 
he  saw  that  it  availed  not  to  follow  her,  he  returned 
to  the  place  where  Powell  was. 

Next  day  Powell  again  went  to  the  mound,  but 
he  had  his  own  horse  saddled  and  brought  near,  and 
a  page  held  it.  Now  it  fell  out  as  before.  No 
sooner  had  the  prince  seated  himself,  than  he  beheld 
the  lady  coming  along  the  same  road,  in  the  same 
manner,  and  at  the  same  pace. 

Thereat  Powell  jumped  on  his  horse.  And  by 
the  time  he  was  seated,  she  had  passed  the  mound. 
Then  he  pursued,  but  he  gained  nothing  on  her. 

Therefore  he  called,  "  Fair  maiden  !  for  the  sake 
of  him  thou  lovest  best,  tarry  for  me." 

She  answered,  "  I  will  tarry,"  and  she  drew  rein. 
She  threw  back  the  veil  that  half  covered  her  face ; 
and  Powell  thought  that  the  beauty  of  all  the 
maidens  he  ever  had  seen  was  as  nothing  to  hers. 

"  Lady,"  said  he,  "  whence  camest  thou,  and 
whither  dost  thou  go  ?  " 

"  I  journey  on  my  own  errand,"  she  answered. 

"  And  what  is  that  ?  "  he  further  inquired. 

"  I  will  answer  truly,"  she  said.  "  My  chief  desire 
was  to  find  thee." 

"  That  is  great  pleasure  for  me  to  hear,"  he  said. 
"  But  tell  me  who  thou  art." 

She  answered,  "  I  am  Rhyannon,  a  princess,  and 
my  father  seeks  to  marry  me  to  one  whom  I  hate 
and  abhor ;  and  therefore,  as  I  can  obtain  no  help 
24  369 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

elsewhere,  I  have  come  this  way,  having  heard  of 
thy  greatness  and  virtue,  in  the  hopes  that  thou 
wouldst  succour  me." 

"  That  will  I  gladly,"  said  Powell. 

"  Then,"  said  she,  "  ride  on  with  all  thy  knights  to 
my  father's  court,  and  ask  him  to  give  me  to  thee  as 
wife  in  the  place  of  Wall,  son  of  Clud." 

He  agreed  to  do  so. 

Then  he  returned  to  his  men,  and  they  busked 
them  in  all  their  most  splendid  apparel,  and  rode 
with  him  to  the  palace  of  the  king,  the  father  of 
Rhyannon.  Powell  was  well  received,  and  he  prepared 
for  him  a  great  feast, — for  him  and  all  his  knights, 
and  he  seated  Powell  on  one  side.  Rhyannon,  the 
Fair  May,^  was  on  the  other  side  of  Powell.  And  on 
the  other  side  of  the  king,  the  father  of  the  fair  lady, 
sat  Teirnon,  Prince  of  Gwent,  which  is  now  called 
the  Forest  of  Dean. 

Much  red  wine  was  drunk,  and  Powell's  heart  was 
lifted  up,  and  he  resolved,  as  soon  as  the  feast  was 
finished,  to  ask  the  hand  of  Rhyannon,  the  Fair  May. 

But  whilst  he  was  thinking  thereon,  there  entered 
the  hall  a  tall,  red-haired  youth  with  a  freckled  face, 
and  he  was  clothed  in  a  garment  of  orange  satin. 
He  came  before  Powell,  and  saluted  him. 

Powell  knew  not  who  he  was,  but  he  received  his 
salutation  well,  and  said,  "  Nay,  but  here  on  my 
left  hand  is  the  king — to  him  thou  must  make  thy 
request.      I  am  but  his  visitor." 

Then  said  the  young  man,  "  It  is  even  to  thee  I 
came." 

^  May  is  an  old  Eng-lish  word  for  maiden. 

2>7o 


The  Badger  in  the  Bag 

"  Say  then  what  thou  hast  to  say,"  answered 
Powell. 

"It  is  this,"  said  the  red-haired  youth.  "  Wilt 
thou  promise  on  thy  word  of  honour  as  a  prince  to 
do  for  me  as  I  say  ?  " 

"  I  pass  thee  my  princely  word  I  will  do  so,"  said 
Powell. 

"  Then,"  said  the  strange  youth,  "  I  ask  thee  to 
bid  the  king  of  this  court  give  me  his  daughter 
Rhyannon  to  wife,  at  once,  and  that  this  feast  be  my 
wedding  banquet  and  hers." 

Then  Powell  was  silent,  because  of  the  promise  he 
had  made. 

And  Rhyannon  at  his  side  exclaimed,  "  Never 
did  man  make  a  more  foolish  use  of  his  word  than 
thou.  Know  that  this  red-haired  man  is  Wall,  the 
son  of  Clud,  whom  I  bade  thee  come  and  deliver  me 
from,  and  now  hast  thou  undertaken  to  give  me 
unto  him." 

Powell  was  sore  abashed  and  troubled  at  heart. 

"  Now,"  said  she ;  "  it  must  be  as  thou  hast  said. 
Solicit  the  king,  my  father,  to  give  me  to  Wall  as 
wife,  this  day  twelvemonth." 

"  I  cannot  do  this  ! "  exclaimed  Powell. 

"  Nay,  but  it  must  be  so.  Thou  canst  not  go 
against  thy  princely  word." 

Then  Powell  was  constrained  to  do  even  as  he 
had  promised.  And  when  he  had  spoken,  then 
Rhyannon  said,  "  Only  this  have  I  against  it.  The 
banquet  has  been  prepared  for  Powell  and  his 
knights,  and  it  ill  befits  that  my  wedding  feast 
should   be   on   the   broken   victuals   that  remain.      It 

371 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

would  be  made  a  laughing  matter  throughout  Wales, 
that  Wall,  son  of  Clud,  and  Rhyannon,  the  Fair  May, 
made  their  wedding  banquet  off  the  half-gnawed 
bones  and  the  cast-away  crusts,  and  drained  the 
dregs  of  the  cups,  after  Powell  and  his  men  had  eaten 
and  drunken." 

Then  Wall  flushed  red  and  said,  "  To  this  I 
agree.      Let  there  be  a  new  feast." 

"  Be  it  so,"  said  Rhyannon  ;  "  and  let  our  wedding 
feast  be  a  twelvemonth  from  to-day." 

Then  Wall,  son  of  Clud,  departed. 

After  that  Powell  was  sore  distressed,  and  he 
could  neither  eat  nor  drink  any  more. 

Then  Rhyannon,  the  Fair  May,  said  to  him,  "  Follow 
my  counsel  and  do  this.  This  day  twelvemonth 
come  to  my  wedding  repast,  and  come  in  old  rags. 
I  will  give  thee  a  little  bag,  and  bring  this  bag  in 
thy  hand.  But  bring  also  with  thee  a  hundred 
knights,  and  conceal  them  among  the  apple-trees  of 
this  orchard  that  is  before  the  palace.  And  when 
Wall  is  in  the  midst  of  his  merriment,  come  thou  in, 
clad  in  ragged  garments,  and  holding  the  bag  in 
thy  hand,  and  ask  nothing  but  a  bagful  of  food,  and 
I  will  cause  that  if  all  the  meat  and  liquor  that  are 
in  my  father's  realm  were  put  into  it,  it  would  be  no 
fuller  than  before.  For  I  have  a  fairy  godmother, 
and  she  will  do  this  for  me  if  I  tell  her  my  trouble, 
and  ask  her  assistance.  Then  do  thou  complain 
that  this  bag  will  never  be  full  until  a  man  of  noble 
birth  and  great  wealth  arise  and  press  the  food  in 
the  bag  with  both  his  feet,  saying,  '  Enough  has 
been    put   in.'      I   will   cause  Wall   to   go   and   tread 

17^ 


The  Badger  in  the  Bag 

down  the  food  in  the  bag,  and  when  he  does  this, 
turn  thou  the  bag,  so  that  he  shall  be  up  over  his 
head  in  it,  and  then  slip  a  knot  upon  the  thongs  of 
the  bag.  Then  blow  a  blast  of  thy  bugle-horn,  and 
let  this  be  a  signal  for  all  thy  knights  to  rise  up  out 
of  the  orchard  and  come  in." 

So  Powell  rode  back  to  his  possessions  in  the 
south  of  Wales  ;  and  he  carried  with  him  the  bag 
that  Rhyannon,  the  Fair  May,  had  given  him,  and 
tarried  till  the  time  appointed. 

Then  Powell  waited  only  till  he  knew  that  Wall 
had  departed  for  his  wedding,  and  then  he  bade  his 
knights  be  ready,  and  they  rode  till  they  came  to 
the  orchard,  and  then  they  concealed  themselves, 
they  and  their  horses.  But  as  for  Powell,  he  clad 
himself  in  coarse  and  ragged  garments,  and  wore 
large  clumsy  old  shoes  upon  his  feet,  and  threw  the 
old  bag  over  his  shoulder. 

When  he  heard  that  there  was  hard  drinking  and 
great  merriment  in  the  hall,  he  entered  and  went  in, 
and  bowed  himself  to  and  saluted  the  bridegroom, 
W^all,  son  of  Clud. 

Wall  said,  "Well,  beggar  man,  what  lackest  thou?" 

"  Meat,  sir,  meat,"  answered  Powell,  "  for  my  bag." 

"  Thou  shalt  have  as  much  as  will  fill  it,"  said 
Wall. 

"  Is  that  thy  solemn  word  and  oath  ? "  asked 
Powell. 

"  Ay,  I  give  thee  my  word  thereto,"  answered 
Wall. 

Then  Powell  began  to  clear  off  everything  from 
the  board,  and  it  seemed  as  though  the  bag  would 

373 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

never  be  full.      Then  Wall  called  for  all  the  stores 
in  the  palace,  but  they  sufficed  not. 

Rhyannon  said  to  him,  "  Sir,  that  bag  will  never 
be  filled,  even  though  all  the  food  in  all  my  father's 
realm  were  cast  into  it,  unless  some  man  of  noble 
birth  step  in  and  stamp  on  its  contents  with  his 
feet.  Do  thou  enter  and  tread  it  together,  that  thou 
be  not  brought  to  shame  through  being  unable  to 
perform  thy  promise  to  a  ragged  beggar  man." 

Then  Wall  sprang  from  his  seat  and  said  to  the 
beggar,  "  Hold  open  the  mouth  of  the  sack." 

Powell  did  so,  and  Wall  stepped  in. 

No  sooner  was  he  in  the  sack  than  Powell  drew  it 
up  over  his  head,  and  tied  a  knot  fast  in  the  thongs, 
and  then  blew  a  blast  on  his  bugle-horn,  and  his 
knights  came  leaping  in  ;  and  they  seized  the  men 
who  had  come  with  Wall,  and  bound  them,  and  cast  ^ 
them  into  prison.  Powell  threw  off  his  old  rags  ' 
and  his  rough  shoes,  and  he  cast  down  the  sack 
with  Wall  in  it  for  his  knights  to  strike  at,  and 
every  knight,  as  he  came  in,  asked,  "  What  is  there 
in  that  bag  ?  " 

Then  Powell  answered,  "A  badger."  And  each 
knight  struck  the  bag  either  with  his  foot  or  with  a 
staff.  And  some  said,  "  What  game  is  this  you  are 
playing  ?  "  And  they  answered,  "  This  is  the  merry 
game  of  the  Badger  in  the  Bag." 

Wall,  who  was  within,  cried  out  at  every  stroke, 
and  at  last  he  pleaded,  "  Sire,  release  me.  I  would 
not  be  slain,  kicked  to  death  in  a  sack." 

"  Well,  then,"  said  Powell,  "  what  dost  thou  bid  for 
thy  life  ?  " 

374 


The  Badger  in  the  Bag 

Then  said  Rhyannon,  "  Hearken,  and  take  my 
counsel.  Give  me  up  to  Powell,  and  think  no  more 
to  have  me  as  thy  wife,  then  will  he  let  the  badger 
out  of  the  bag." 

"  I  will  do  this  gladly,"  said  Wall. 

"  And  I  will  accept  this,"  answered  Powell. 

Thereupon  Powell  loosed  the  strings  and  let  Wall 
crawl  out.  But  Rhyannon  would  have  held  his 
hand,  and  she  said,  "  Always  art  thou  too  hasty. 
Thou  hast  let  him  escape  without  making  him  swear 
not  to  take  vengeance  for  what  has  been  done  to 
him.  Now  I  greatly  fear  that  we  shall  suffer  for 
this." 

It  was  now  too  late  to  alter  matters,  for  Wall  was 
out  of  the  sack,  and,  crawling  and  muttering  threats, 
he  had  left  the  room. 

Then  the  feast  was  continued  with  great  merri- 
ment, and  Rhyannon  was  made  the  wife  of  Powell 
instead  of  the  wife  of  Wall,  and  when  the  feast  was 
ended,  she  and  Powell,  attended  by  his  hundred 
knights,  rode  to  his  kingdom  in  South  Wales,  and 
to  his  palace  at  Narberth,  where  a  great  banquet 
was  made  ready  for  them.  There  came  to  that 
great  numbers  of  the  chief  men,  and  most  of  the 
noble  ladies  of  the  land ;  and  there  was  not  one  to 
whom  Rhyannon  did  not  give  some  rich  present 
either  a  bracelet,  or  a  ring,  or  a  precious  stone 
And  Powell  ruled  the  land  prosperously  both  that 
year  and  the  next,  and  then  Rhyannon  became  the 
mother  of  a  beautiful  babe. 

Now  she  at  once  sent  to  her  fairy  godmother 
who  bade  her  be  very  watchful,  for  Wall,  son  of  Clud 

375 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

was  full  of  malice,  and  he  would  seek  to  carry  away 
the  babe,  in  revenge  for  his  treatment  in  the  bag. 

Accordingly,  women  were  appointed  to  watch  the 
babe  both  night  and  day. 

It  must  be  related  that  Wall,  son  of  Ckid,  had 
returned  home  full  of  rage  and  vows  of  vengeance 
for  the  treatment  he  had  received,  both  the  losing 
of  his  wife  and  the  badger  baiting.  There  lived 
an  old  witch  in  the  Black  Mountains,  and  on  his 
return  home  he  went  forth  and  consulted  her.  She 
was  thought  to  be  the  most  powerful  witch  in  all 
Britain.  She  could  make  rocks  dance,  and  trees 
stand  with  their  roots  in  the  air,  and  the  waves  of 
the  sea  to  foam  blood. 

Then  she  said  to  him,  "  In  time  there  will  be  a 
son  born  to  Powell  and  Rhyannon.  Do  thou  take 
that  occasion  to  steal  the  child  away." 

"  How  is  that  to  be  done  ?  "  asked  Wall. 

"  There  will  be  seven  nurses  appointed  to  watch  the 
cradle.  Do  thou  disguise  thyself  as  a  woman  and  offer 
thyself  to  be  nurse.  Then  take  this  snuff-box,  and 
when  in  the  room,  offer  snuff  to  all  those  there,  and  say 
that  it  will  clear  the  brain,  and  it  will  send  all  to  sleep. 
Then  haste  away  with  the  babe,  and  bring  it  to  me." 

"  And  how  shall  I  pay  thee  for  this  advice  ? " 
asked  Wall. 

"  In  this  way,"  answered  the  witch.  "  I  am 
especially  partial  to  horse-flesh.  Every  month  you 
must  bring  me  a  young  foal,  or  a  horse,  for  my 
eating." 

"  I  will  do  that,"  said  W^all. 

Now  when  the  little   prince  was   born   to   Powell, 


The  Badger  in  the  Bag 

there  were  seven  nurses  appointed,  and  when  Wall, 
dressed  in  female  garments,  applied,  he  was  told 
that  the  number  was  made  up.  Nevertheless,  he 
was  nothing  daunted,  but  tarried  near  the  palace. 
After  three  days  and  nights  of  watching,  the  nurses 
became  tired,  and  they  wished  that  they  could  get 
away  for  a  walk  in  the  fields,  or  for  sleep,  to  lie  down 
for  a  little  while ;  and  as  nothing  had  happened  to 
alarm  them,  they  thought  that  the  precautions  taken 
were  somewhat  unnecessary.  Then  Wall  offered 
to  relieve  the  nurses  one  after  another  during  the 
night,  and  they  gladly  accepted  the  offer.  So  he 
took  the  place  of  the  first  nurse.  Then  Rhyannon 
looked  hard  at  him,  and  said,  "  Who  is  this  red- 
haired  tall  woman  who  has  come  ?  " 

They  said  that  she  was  a  nurse  come  to  relieve  the 
one  who  had  gone  home,  as  she  was  summoned  to 
see  her  husband,  who  was  ill. 

All  that  night  Rhyannon  watched,  and  never  took 
her  eyes  off  the  strange  nurse. 

The  second  night,  another  nurse  begged  to  be 
excused,  and  Wall  took  her  place.  Rhyannon  was 
uneasy.  She  thought  that  she  had  seen  the  freckled 
face  somewhere,  and  could  not  recall  to  whom  it  had 
belonged.  All  night  she  kept  her  eyes  open,  watch- 
ing the  cradle  and  the  strange  nurse. 

Then  Wall  was  afraid  of  being  known,  so  he  dyed 
his  face  with  walnut-juice,  and  darkened  his  hair, 
and  changed  his  dress  to  another  colour,  and  offered 
himself  as  substitute,  and  was  again  accepted,  for 
now  the  third  nurse  wished  to  be  relieved. 

That  night  the  child  cried,  and  Wall  endeavoured 
377 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

to  still  it.  Rhyannon  listened  to  her  voice,  and 
thought  she  knew  its  tones,  but  could  recall  no 
woman  who  spoke  like  this  strange  dark  woman. 
She  was  anxious,  and  did  not  sleep  a  wink  all  night. 

Then  Wall  swallowed  chalk  to  make  his  voice 
soft,  and  offered  himself  for  the  fourth  night,  and 
was  again  taken,  for  once  more  a  nurse  desired  to 
be  released. 

That  night  Rhyannon  remained  awake  again,  for 
she  had  noticed  the  eyes  of  the  strange  woman,  and 
there  was  in  them  a  cunning  and  a  treacherousness 
that  alarmed  her.  So  she  watched  throughout  the 
night. 

Then  Wall  put  a  green  shade  over  his  eyes,  lest 
they  should  be  seen,  and  disguised  himself  as  an  old 
woman,  and  offered  to  take  the  place  of  the  fifth 
nurse,  and  was  accepted. 

But  still  Rhyannon  could  not  sleep.  She  watched, 
and  she  wondered  that  one  who  was  bowed  double 
with  age  should  have  such  smooth  cheeks  and 
hands,  and  no  wrinkles  anywhere. 

Then  Wall  took  a  bit  of  charcoal  and  drew  it 
over  his  cheeks  and  hands  and  brow,  and  so  seemed 
to  be  full  of  wrinkles  and  age ;  and  he  was  accepted 
the  sixth  night.  But  this  time,  as  he  walked  about 
with  the  babe  to  lull  it  to  sleep,  Rhyannon  saw 
below  the  gown  a  pair  of  man's  boots  with  gold 
spurs,  and  this  alarmed  her,  and  she  could  not  sleep, 
but  watched  the  whole  night. 

And  on  the  seventh  night,  Wall  had  taken  off  his 
boots  and  put  on  slippers,  and  Rhyannon  was  heavy 
v\4th  sleep,  and  as  there  was   now   nought   to   alarm 

378 


The  Badger  in  the  Bag 

her,  she  slept.  And  as  she  slept,  the  seven  nurses 
talked,  and  complained  how  great  was  the  restraint 
put  upon  them,  and  how  this  watching  wearied  them. 

Then  Wall  took  out  the  snuff-box  and  offered 
each  a  pinch,  "  for,"  said  he,  ''  this  will  clear  your 
brains."  The  nurses  took  a  pinch  each,  and  hardly 
had  they  snuffed  before  they  were  asleep. 

Then  Wall  stole  out  of  the  room,  cast  aside  his 
female  disguise,  mounted  his  horse,  and,  carrying  the 
baby,  rode  away  to  the  Black  Mountains,  and  gave 
the  little  prince  to  the  old  hag. 

Now  the  nurses  awoke  before  dawn,  and  looked 
in  the  cradle,  and  found  that  the  child  was  gone. 
Then  they  were  greatly  alarmed,  and  they  said  one 
to  another,  "  We  shall  be  burned  or  hanged  because 
of  the  child." 

Then  said  one  of  the  nurses,  "  This  is  what  I 
advise.  There  is  a  stag-hound  bitch,  and  she  has 
a  litter  of  whelps.  I>et  us  kill  some  of  the  cubs, 
and  rub  the  blood  on  the  face  and  hands  of  Rhyannon, 
and  lay  the  bones  in  the  cradle,  and  let  us  declare 
that  she  has  devoured  her  son,  and  she  alone  will 
not  be  able  to  gainsay  us  six." 

And  according  to  this  counsel,  so  was  it  settled. 

Towards  morning  Rhyannon  awoke,  and  said, 
"  Where  is  my  baby  boy  ?  " 

"  Lady,"  said  the  nurses,  "  do  not  ask  after  your 
child,  for  you  ate  him  in  the  night,  and  we  tried  in 
vain  to  deliver  him  from  you.  See  your  hands  are 
dyed  in  his  blood,  and  his  bones  are  in  the  cradle." 

Rhyannon  cried  out  that  she  was  falsely  accused 
of  this.      But  what  was  her  word  against  six  ? 

379 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Then  there  was  great  commotion  in  the  realm, 
and  the  nobles  came  together,  and  demanded  that 
Powell  should  condemn  his  wife  to  be  burned  alive 
for  the  crime  she  had  committed.  But  to  this  he 
would  never  consent.  So  a  council  was  held,  and 
it  was  ordered,  by  advice  of  the  bishop,  tliat  she 
should  do  penance  for  seven  years,  and  that  if  she 
spake  the  truth,  God  would  reveal  it,  and  relieve  her 
of  the  penance.  And  the  penance  to  which  the 
nobles  consented  was  this,  that  she  should  sit  every 
day  on  a  horse-block  near  the  palace  gate,  and  that 
every  guest  who  came  to  the  gate  she  should  offer 
to  carry  within  on  her  back. 

And  this  was  imposed  on  her.  She  sat  daily  at 
the  gate,  but  never  did  any  guest  come  who  was  so 
uncourteous  as  to  insist  that  she  should  carry  him 
within  on  her  back. 

Thus  passed  half  the  year. 

Now  all  this  while  the  witch  of  the  Black 
Mountains  had  been  feeding  on  the  colts  and  horses 
of  the  stud  of  Wall,  son  of  Clud.  And  she  had 
acquired  such  a  craving  for  horse-flesh,  that  nothing 
else  would  satisfy  her.  But  by  this  time  she  had 
eaten  up  all  the  horses  and  mares  and  colts  that 
Wall  had,  and  he  was  not  able  to  give  her  any  more. 
And  yet  she  was  ravenous,  and  though  he  offered 
her  bullocks  and  calves,  she  rejected  them.  She 
said  that  she  would  eat  horse-flesh  and  nothing  else, 
and  she  bade  him  go  and  see  where  there  was  a 
stud  from  which  she  could  obtain  what  she  wanted. 

Then  he  said,  "  Teirnon,  King  of  Gwent,  has  a 
notable    stud,    but    he   will    never    sell    any    of    his 

380 


The  Badger  in  the  Bag 

horses,  not  for  half  a  kingdom.  They  are  all  white, 
with  red  ears.      But  how  to  get  them,  I  know  not." 

Now  it  fell  out  that  Teirnon  had  a  beautiful  mare, 
that  was  quite  unsurpassed  in  the  kingdom.  On  the 
night  of  the  first  of  May  she  foaled,  and  no  one 
knew  what  became  of  the  foal — it  was  spirited 
away. 

One  night  Teirnon  talked  with  his  wife,  and  said 
to  her,  "  That  will  be  a  sad  thing  if  our  mare  foal 
every  year  and  we  lose  all  her  colts.  I  will  watch 
and  see  what  becomes  of  her  foals." 

So,  next  time  the  mare  foaled,  Teirnon  watched, 
and  he  saw  an  old  woman's  hand  with  claws  to 
every  finger  come  in  through  the  window  and  lay 
hold  of  the  colt.  Then  he  drew  his  sword  and 
hewed,  and  cut  the  hand  off  at  the  wrist. 

There  ensued  great  wailing  without ;  so  he  ran 
out  of  the  stable,  and,  sure  enough,  there  was  an  old 
witch  with  one  of  her  hands  cut  off.  She  begged 
and  entreated  him  to  give  her  back  the  hand  he  had 
struck  off.  Then  he  asked  her  what  she  would  give 
him  if  he  restored  to  her  the  hand,  and  she  said  that 
she  would  give  him  the  most  beautiful  babe  in  the 
world. 

To  that  he  agreed,  and  he  brought  out  her  hand, 
and  she  put  it  to  the  stump,  and  it  grew  on  as  if  it 
had  never  been  cut  off,  only  a  red  line  remained  to 
mark  where  the  gash  had  been. 

Then,  at  once,  she  went  and  brought  him  a  child, 
and  as  fair  a  child  he  never  had  seen.  It  was 
wrapped  around  in  a  mantle  of  satin.  Then  he 
took  the  child  to  his  wife,  and,  because  they  had   no 

3S1 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

son,  they  adopted  him  as  their  own.  And  because 
his  hair  was  as  yellow  as  gold,  they  called  him 
Euryn,  which  in  the  Welsh  tongue  signifies  "  The 
Golden." 

They  had  the  boy  nursed  in  the  court  until  he 
was  a  year  old.  And  before  he  was  a  year  old  he 
could  walk.  He  was  larger  than  a  boy  of  three 
years ;  and  the  boy  was  nursed  the  second  year,  and 
then  he  was  as  large  as  a  child  of  six. 

But  it  fell  out  that  again  was  a  colt  taken  away. 
For  it  was  so  that  the  witch  of  the  Black  Mountains 
had  found  the  white  foal  with  red  ears  that  she  had 
snatched  away  ten  times  better  eating  than  any 
other  she  had  tasted,  and  at  last  the  craving  came 
on  her  so  strongly,  that,  notwithstanding  the  risk 
she  ran,  she  could  not  restrain  herself  from  carrying 
off  another. 

Then  Teirnon  was  wroth,  and  said  he  would 
watch  again. 

And  his  wife  said  to  him,  "  We  do  not  know 
whose  child  this  is  that  has  been  given  to  us.  Yet 
is  it  quite  clear  that  he  is  of  princely  birth,  and  the 
more  I  look  on  him,  the  more  he  resembles  in  my 
eyes  the  Prince  Powell  of  South  Wales.  Now,  the 
garments  in  which  he  was  folded  were  of  silk,  richly 
embroidered.  All  this  shows  that  he  is  of  illustrious 
birth,  and  we  do  wrong  to  retain  him,  if  by  any 
fashion  we  can  understand  who  he  really  is.  If, 
then,  you  succeed  in  detecting  the  witch  stealing 
your  colt,  then  constrain  her  to  say  who  the 
babe  is." 

To  this  Teirnon  agreed,  and  he  watched  in  the 
382 


The  Badger  in  the  Bag 

stable  on  the  night  of  the  first  of  May  when  his  mare 
had  foaled. 

Then  all  at  once  through  the  window  came  a  long 
lean  arm,  and  every  finger  had  on  it  a  claw  like  that 
of  a  bird,  and  it  laid  hold  of  the  colt.  Thereupon 
the  king  smote,  and  cut  off  the  hand,  and  the  stump 
was  withdrawn,  and  there  ensued  wailing  without. 
So  he  ran  outside  and  found  the  witch  crying  and 
hugging  her  wounded,  mutilated  arm.  She  begged 
him  to  restore  to  her  the  hand  he  had  cut  off.  He 
agreed  to  do  this  if  she  would  tell  him  whose  son  she 
had  given  him. 

Then  she  said,  "  It  is  the  child  of  Rhyannon  and 
Powell  that  was  carried  off  from  the  cradle." 

Thereat  Teirnon  restored  to  her  the  cut-off  hand, 
and  she  replaced  it,  and  all  that  remained  to  show 
that  it  had  been  hewn  away  was  a  red  line  round 
her  wrist. 

But  Teirnon  went  to  his  wife  and  told  her  all. 
Then  they  agreed  to  take  the  child  to  his  true 
parents.  And  he  could  now  ride.  So  they  gave  to 
him  the  milkwhite  colt  with  red  ears  that  had  first 
been  clutched  hold  of  by  the  witch,  when  her 
hand  was  cut  off,  and  redeemed  by  the  present  of 
the  baby  boy. 

So  Teirnon  and  his  wife  went  to  South  Wales, 
and  they  took  with  them  the  lad,  riding  on  his  young 
horse,  white,  with  red  ears. 

And  when  they  arrived  at  the  palace  of  Powell, 
there  at  the  door  sat  Rhyannon  on  the  horse-block. 
And  she  rose  and  offered  to  carry  them  within.  But 
to  this  they  would  not  consent. 

383 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Then  was  a  feast  spread  to  welcome  them ;  and 
at  the  feast  Teirnon  rehearsed  all  the  story  of  how 
he  had  got  the  child,  and  how  he  discovered  who  it 
was ;  and  he  spread  his  silken  garments  before  Powell, 
that  he  might  see  and  know  that  what  he  said  was 
sooth. 

Then  was  there  great  joy  and  rejoicing.  The  six 
false  nurses  who  had  slandered  the  queen  were 
sentenced  to  lose  their  heads. 

Rhyannon  said,  "  My  son  shall  be  called  Pryder, 
for  he  is  a  child  of  sorrow  and  distress  of  mind."  ^ 

Note. — The  story  of  Pwyll,  Prince  of  Dyved,  in  the  Mabinogion. 
I  have  somewhat  worked  up  the  subtlety  of  Wall  (Gwawll)  and 
his  taking-  away  of  the  babe,  as  this  is  all  very  incomplete  in  the 
original,  and  the  clawed  hand  lacks  connection  in  the  tale.  The 
story  was  first  translated  for  the  Cambrian  Register,  and  it  also 
appeared  in  Jone's  Welsh  Bards.  It  then  appeared  in  Lady 
Charlotte  Guest's  Edition  of  the  Mabinogion.  Dyved,  of  which 
Pwyll  was  king,  is  the  region  of  the  Dimetse  of  the  Romans,  the 
modern  Pembrokeshire.  If  there  ever  existed  such  a  person,  his 
date  is  as  problematical  as  his  existence. 

^  Pryder  in  Welsh  signifies  anxiety. 


384 


25 


XIX 

THE    FOUR    FRIENDS 


The  story  has  been  told  of  the  birth  of  Pryder. 
Now  I  am  going  to  tell  something  further  about  him 
and  his  mother  Rhyannon.  This  noble  lady  had 
lost  her  husband  and  Pryder  his  father,  Powell,  of 
whom  the  story  has  been  related.  Then  by  Pryder's 
advice  she  was  married  to  a  grave  and  honourable 
man  called  Manawhiddan,  for  whom  Pryder  enter- 
tained a  warm  affection  and  respect. 

Pryder  was  married  to  a  beautiful  lady  of  the 
name  of  Kicva,  and  she  became  as  fond  of  Rhyannon 
as  Pryder  her  husband  was  of  Manawhiddan. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  Wall,  son  of  Clud, 
had  borne  his  discomfiture  with  an  easy  mind.  He 
could  neither  forget  nor  forgive  the  game  of  Badger 
in  the  Bag,  that  had  been  played  with  him.  So  he 
went  away  into  Scotland,  to  a  great  magician,  and 
remained  with  him  for  twenty  years,  studying  the 
black  art,  till  at  last  he  was  accomplished  in  necro- 
mancy.     Then   he   came  back   into   Britain,  and   at 

387 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

once  resolved  on  revenging  himself  for  the  past 
offences  on  Rhyannon  and  on  Pryder,  the  son  of 
Powell. 

One  day,  when  they  were  all  at  Narberth,  there 
came  on  a  terrific  thunderstorm,  and  with  it  a 
mist  so  thick  that  no  one  could  see  a  few  feet  before 
him. 

After  some  hours  the  mist  cleared  away,  and  then 
there  was  light.  Pryder  and  Manawhiddan  looked 
around,  and  could  see  no  one  except  their  two  wives. 
All  their  men  and  servants,  had  vanished  and  all 
the  country  was  without  people,  and  like  a  desert, 
uninhabited. 

"  Where  are  all  those  of  the  court  ? "  cried 
Manawhiddan  ;  "  and  where  are  all  our  men  ?  Let  us 
go  and  look  for  them." 

They  entered  the  hall,  and  there  was  no  man. 
They  went  into  the  bedrooms,  no  one  was  there ; 
they  entered  the  kitchen,  all  the  servants  had 
vanished.  There  was  nothing  anywhere  but  desola- 
tion and  solitude. 

They  tarried  several  days,  wondering  what  this 
signified,  and  doubtful  what  to  do.  No  living  man 
or  woman  was  to  be  seen,  so  Pryder  and  his  step- 
father hunted,  and  in  the  evening  they  feasted ;  they 
fed  on  what  they  killed  in  hunting,  and  on  the  honey 
of  wild  swarms  of  bees. 

Thus  passed  a  whole  year,  and  then  a  second, 
and  then  they  became  weary  of  solitude;  so  they 
departed,  and  travelled,  and  crossed  the  river  Wye, 
and  came  into  England,  and  they  did  not  halt  till 
they  arrived  in  Hereford. 

388 


I 


The  Four  Friends 

They  knew  no  one  there,  and  they  were  known  to 
none,  so,  to  maintain  themselves  and  their  wives, 
they  worked  at  making  saddles,  and  as  they  were 
skilful  in  the  art  of  enamelling,  they  made  rich 
housings  for  horses,  and  gilded  them,  and  laid  on 
blue  enamel. 

Their  work  was  greatly  admired,  and  at  last  no 
noble  or  gentleman  would  buy  any  saddles  except 
such  as  had  been  made  by  the  Welsh  strangers. 

Thus  they  drew  away  the  trade  from  the  English 
saddlers  of  Hereford.  These  were  angry,  and  plotted 
to  waylay  and  murder  them.  But  they  were  warned 
of  this  by  a  servant,  and  they  took  counsel  together, 
and  resolved  to  depart. 

So  they  went  to  Tewkesbury 

"  What  craft  shall  we  exercise  here  ? "  asked 
Pryder. 

"  We  will  make  shields,"  answered  Manawhiddan. 

"  Do  you  know  anything  of  the  craft  ? "  asked 
Pryder. 

"  We  will  try,"  answered  his  stepfather.  "  I 
learned  something  of  the  art  and  of  enamel  painting 
from  Lassar,  who  was  driven  out  of  Ireland  by  King 
Matholuc,  and  who  came  into  Britain." 

So  they  set  to  work  and  made  shields,  and  they 
made  beautiful  shields,  and  enamelled  them  as  they 
had  done  the  saddles.  They  prospered  exceedingly, 
so  that  no  knight  would  buy  a  shield  of  any 
armourer,  but  only  of  these  Welsh  strangers.  Thus 
they  spoiled  the  trade  for  the  native  craftsmen. 
Thereat  the  armourers  were  jealous,  and  they  resolved 
to  fall  on  them  and  murder  them. 

389 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

Again,  happily,  they  were  forewarned,  and  they 
escaped  out  of  that  town,  and  went  south,  and  came 
to  Gloucester,  and  they  entered  in  to  dwell  there. 

"  What  craft  shall  we  adopt  ?  "  asked  Pryder. 

"  Let  us  make  shoes,"  answered  Manawhiddan. 

"  Do  you  know  anything  about  shoemaking  ?  " 
asked  Pryder. 

"  A  little — we  can  but  try,  and  do  our  best," 
answered  his  stepfather.  "  I  will  teach  you  to  stitch. 
We  will  not  dress  the  leather  ourselves,  but  will  buy 
it  ready  dressed." 

So  they  did  this.  They  purchased  the  best 
leather  they  could  obtain,  and  they  associated 
themselves  with  a  good  goldsmith,  and  caused  him 
to  make  clasps  for  the  shoes,  and  to  gild  the  clasps. 
And  when  they  had  observed  and  seen  how  this  was 
done,  then  they  set  to  work  themselves  and  made 
shoes  with  buckles  and  clasps  richly  gilt  and  inlaid 
with  enamel ;  and  these  became  so  popular  in  the 
country  round,  that  at  last  none,  neither  ladies  nor 
gentlemen,  would  buy  any  shoes  of  any  cobblers,  but 
only  of  the  Welsh  strangers.  So  the  shoemakers 
resolved  to  surround  them  and  stab  them  to  death 
with  their  bradawls.  But  they  got  wind  of  what 
was  intended,  and  though  they  had  no  fear  of 
the  cobblers,  yet  they  deemed  it  best  not  to  be 
in  a  brawl,  so  they  left  Gloucester  and  returned  into 
Wales,  and  into  that  part  whence  they  had  come. 

They  returned  to  Narberth,  and  all  was  as  they 
had  left  it.  No  men  or  women  were  there.  Thistles 
and  nettles  grew  in  the  palace  court,  and  owls  and 
bats  haunted  the  towers. 

390 


The  Four  Friends 

They  kindled  a  fire,  and  the  two  men  hunted,  and 
the  two  women  cooked  what  was  killed  in  hunting. 
And  so  time  passed. 

One  morning  Pryder  and  IManawhiddan  rose  up 
to  hunt,  and  ranged  their  dogs,  and  went  forth. 
Then  some  of  the  dogs  ran  ahead  and  began  to  yelp 
and  leap  about  a  bush,  and  when  the  two  men  came 
up,  their  dogs  backed  towards  them  with  their  hair 
bristling. 

"  Let  us  go  to  the  bush,  and  see  what  is  there," 
said  Pryder. 

Then  they  saw  a  wild  boar,  white  as  snow. 

They  set  on  their  dogs,  but  he  made  a  stand  for  a 
while,  and  then  broke  away  and  ran,  and  all  the  dogs 
after  him.  The  two  men  pursued,  till  they  came  to 
a  castle,  newly  built,  in  a  place  where  hitherto  no- 
thing had  stood,  and  into  this  rushed  the  boar,  and 
the  dogs  after  him. 

Then  Pryder  said,  "  I  will  go  in  and  see  what  has 
become  of  the  dogs  and  the  boar." 

But  Manawhiddan  said,  "  This  does  not  seem  to 
me  to  be  wise.  Be  ruled  by  me,  and  do  not  make 
this  adventure.  Whoever  has  cast  a  spell  over  the 
land,  has  caused  this  castle  to  be  built." 

"  I  cannot  give  up  my  dogs,"  said  Pr^'der,  and  he 
went  forward. 

He  entered  the  castle,  but  could  neither  see  nor 
hear  his  dogs.      Indeed,  he  saw  no  one  man  even. 

In  the  central  court  of  the  castle  was  a  fountain 
of  cr^^stal  water  and  a  marble  breastwork  round  it, 
and  on  this  rested  a  golden  bowl. 

Pryder  was  thirsty,  and  he  dipped  the  bowl  in  the 
391 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales  | 

water,  and  at  once  his  feet  became  rooted  to  the  floor, 
and  he  could  not  withdraw  his  hand  from  the  bowl. 
He  was  as  one  frozen,  and  speechless  and  motion- 
less.     And  thus  he  stood. 

Manawhiddan  waited  for  him  till  sunset,  and  then 
returned  to  the  palace,  without  any  tidings  of  Pryder 
or  of  the  dogs. 

As   he   entered,  his  w^ife  Rhyannon  looked  at  him, 
and  said,  "  What  has  happened  to  my  son  Pryder  ?  " 
Manawhiddan  told  her. 

She  exclaimed,  "  A  bad  companion  are  you  not  to 
look  better  after  him  ! " 

Then  she  went  forth  in  the  direction  of  the  castle, 
and  when  she  found  it,  she  at  once  entered,  and,  see- 
ing Pryder  in  the  courtyard  holding  the  golden  bowl, 
she  laid  her  hand  on  him,  and  at  once  was  fast 
rooted  to  the  slab  of  stone  on  which  she  stood,  and 
her  hand  was  as  it  were  glued  to  her  son,  and  she 
could  neither  speak  nor  stir. 

Then  night  came  on,  and  when  morning  dawned, 
no  trace  of  the  castle  could  be  discovered,  and  Pryder 
and  Rhyannon  had  vanished. 

Manawhiddan  and  Kicva,  the  wife  of  Pryder, 
searched  everywhere,  and  found  nothing ;  then  Kicva 
was  sad  and  sorrowful,  and  she  cared  not  whether  she 
lived  or  died. 

Manawhiddan  saw  how  unhappy  his  stepdaughter 
was,  and  he  bade  her  not  be  downcast,  he  would 
search  and  not  give  over  till  he  had  discovered  those 
who  had  vanished  so  mysteriously. 

Manawhiddan  did  not  consider  that  much  good 
would  ensue  if  they  remained  where  they  were,  so  he 

392 


The  Four  Friends 

and  Kicva  departed  for  English  land,  even  to  Bath, 
and  Manawhiddan  again  took  to  making  shoes,  and 
he  taught  his  stepdaughter  to  sew  the  leathers.  He 
made  and  enamelled  gilded  clasps  as  he  had  done  at 
Gloucester,  and  with  the  same  result,  that  all  the  nobles 
and  great  ladies  would  buy  no  other  shoes,  but  such  as 
were  made  by  him  and  Kicva.  They  remained 
where  they  were  for  a  twelvemonth,  and  then  the 
shoemakers  became  envious,  and  took  counsel  to 
murder  them.  Manawhiddan  had  news  of  this,  and 
so  he  and  Kicva  left  and  returned  into  Wales. 

Now  when  he  went  back,  he  carried  a  load  of 
wheat  on  his  back ;  and  he  carried  it  to  Narberth, 
where  he  had  been  before.  As  he  had  lost  all  his 
dogs,  he  could  no  longer  hunt ;  and  he  resolved  to 
sow  the  wheat,  and  in  the  meanwhile,  till  it  was 
grown  and  ripe,  to  sustain  life  by  fishing,  and  by 
trapping  birds  and  beasts,  and  by  collecting  roots  and 
berries.  He  fenced  in  three  fields,  and  in  them  he 
sowed  the  wheat  he  had  brought  out  of  England. 
The  corn  grew,  and  gave  great  promise  of  a  harvest. 
At  last  it  turned  yellow,  and  Manawhiddan  went  to 
look  at  his  cornfields,  and  said — "  To-morrow  I  will 
reap  the  first  of  my  crofts." 

Next  morning  he  rose  early  and  went  forth,  with 
sickle  in  hand,  and  Kicva  followed  him,  to  bind  up  the 
sheaves  as  he  cut. 

But  what  was  their  astonishment  and  dismay  to 
see  nothing  in  the  croft  but  bare  straw — every  ear 
had  been  cut  off. 

Then  he  went  to  the  second  field  and  said,  "  I 
will  reap  this  to-morrow." 

393 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

And  on  the  morrow  he  came  to  reap  it,  and  found 
that  it  had  been  dealt  with  in  the  same  fashion. 
Nothing  remained  but  straw — all  the  ears  of  corn  had 
been  taken  away. 

He  was  very  wroth,  and  said,  "  Evil  betide  me 
if  I  do  not  watch  the  third  field  all  night.  Who- 
ever carried  off  the  corn  from  the  two  fields  will 
endeavour  to  carry  off  the  harvest  from  this  one 
also." 

So  he  went  at  nightfall  to  watch  the  croft. 

At  midnight  he  heard  a  strange  trampling  and 
rustling  sound,  and  he  looked  from  his  hiding-place, 
and  saw  a  vast  horde  of  field-mice  coming  on,  so  vast 
that  there  seemed  to  be  no  end  to  them.  And  this 
swarm  fell  on  his  field,  and  a  mouse  ran  up  each 
straw,  and  nibbled  off  an  ear.  There  was  not  a 
single  stalk  of  wheat  all  through  the  field  that  had 
not  a  mouse  on  it. 

Then  the  mice  scampered  off,  carrying  the  ears  of 
corn  with  them,  and  leaving  bare  straw. 

In  wrath  Manawhiddan  sprang  from  his  hiding- 
place  and  pursued  the  mice.  But  they  ran  so  fast 
that  he  could  not  catch  them,  with  the  exception  of 
one  which  was  dragging  along  a  larger  ear  of  wheat 
than  the  rest,  and  would  not  drop  it.  Yet  it  ran 
fast.  But  presently  the  corn-ear  caught  in  a  briar, 
and  as  the  mouse  stayed  to  disentangle  it,  Mana- 
whiddan put  down  his  hand  and  laid  hold  of  it.  It 
squealed  and  bit  and  struggled  to  escape,  but  all  was 
of  no  use ;  he  opened  his  glove,  put  the  mouse 
within,  and  fastened  the  glove  by  a  string,  so  that  the 
little  creature  might  not  escape. 

394 


The  Four  Friends 

Then  he  returned  to  the  ruinous  palace  in  which 
he  Hved,  and  showed  what  he  had  caught,  and  told 
the  story  to  Kicva.  "  See,"  said  he,  "  here  I  have  a 
thief  that  has  been  robbing  me  !  " 

"  What  will  you  do  with  the  mouse  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  shall  hang  it  as  a  thief.  I  wish  I  had 
captured  the  rest,  and  then  I  would  hang  them 
all." 

Kicva  pitied  the  little  squeaking  mouse,  and  she 
said,  "  Stepfather,  let  the  mouse  run  away.  It  is 
but  one,  and  it  hardly  seems  dignified  for  a  great 
noble  like  you  to  be  setting  up  gallows  on  which  to 
do  execution  on  a  poor  little  mouse." 

"  Woe  betide  me,"  answered  Manawhiddan,  "  if  1 
would  not  be  executioner  to  them  all  if  I  could  but 
catch  them." 

So  then  he  went  up  the  hill  above  Narberth,  and 
he  said  that  he  would  make  an  example  of  this 
mouse.  He  ascended  the  grey  old  cairn  on  the  top 
of  the  hill,  and,  as  may  be  remembered  from  the  story 
of  the  Bagging  of  the  Badger,  no  man  might  do  this 
without  seeing  some  v.'onderful  sight  and  meeting 
with  an  adventure.  Manawhiddan  set  up  two  forked 
sticks  on  the  top  of  the  old  cairn,  and  put  a  piece  of 
wood  across  between  the  forks.  It  was  all  not  above 
eighteen  inches  high.  That  was  to  be  the  gallows. 
Then  he  took  a  piece  of  twine  and  prepared  to  make 
a  noose  of  it.  He  had  his  glove  looped  round  his 
left  wrist,  and  in  the  glove  was  the  frightened  squeak- 
ing mouse,  that  seemed  to  be  aware  what  was  being 
done. 

Whilst  Manawhiddan  was  thus  engaged,  he  saw  a 
395 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

scholar  coming  towards  him  in  poor  and  tattered 
garments.  It  was  now  seven  years  since  Mana- 
whiddan  had  seen  any  man  in  that  place,  except  only 
his  companions.  He  therefore  suspected  some 
enchantment,  and  resolved  to  be  cautious. 

The  scholar  saluted  him,  and,  standing  below  the 
mound  of  stones,  said,  "  My  lord,  good  day."  J 

"  I  wish  you  the  same,"  answered  Manawhiddan, 
without  interrupting  that  on  which  he  was  engaged. 
"  Whence  come  you  ?  " 

"  I  come  from  England,"  answered  the  scholar. 
"  Why  do  you  ask  ?  " 

"  Because  for  the  last  seven  years  I  have  seen  no 
man  or  woman  in  this  place,  save  my  wife  and 
stepson  and  stepdaughter.  And  two  of  these  are 
now  gone." 

The  scholar  said,  "  What  are  you  at  work  on  there, 
sir  ?  " 

"  I  am  about  to  hang  a  thief,"  answered  Mana- 
whiddan. 

"  And  what  manner  of  thief  is  that  ?  "  asked  the 
stranger. 

"  You  shall  see,"  said  Manawhiddan.  He  opened 
the  glove  and  took  the  little  creature  in  his  hand 
and  held  it  fast. 

The  scholar  looked  hard  at  it,  and  it  appeared  to 
Manawhiddan  that  the  mouse  looked  at  the  scholar. 

Then  said  the  latter,  "  Truly,  sir,  I  see  a  mouse  in 
your  hand,  and  verily  it  seems  to  me  an  unbecoming 
thing  of  a  king's  son  to  be  strangling  mice." 

"  Unbecoming  or  not,  I  intend  to  do  it,"  answered 
Manawhiddan.      "  I   only  wish   I   had  a  thousand  of 

396 


The  Four  Friends 

these   thieves,  and  you  would    see   the  whole   mound 
bristle  with  gallows." 

"  Rather  than  that  I  should  see  a  man  of  your 
rank  so  demean  himself,"  said  the  scholar,  "  I  will 
give  you  a  pound  if  you  will  set  the  mouse  free." 

"  Keep  the  pound  to  get  yourself  a  fresh  coat," 
said  the  Welsh  prince.  "It  surprises  me  to  behold  a 
man  in  rags  like  yourself  so  solicitous  for  the  life  of 
a  mouse." 

Then  the  scholar  without  more  ado  walked  on  his 
way. 

Now  Manawhiddan  tried  the  crossbeam  between 
the  forks,  to  ascertain  if  it  would  hold  the  mouse,  and 
he  cut  a  little  notch  in  it  for  the  string.  Then  he 
saw  a  priest  coming  up  the  hill,  riding  on  a  horse 
covered  with  trappings. 

"  Good  day  to  thee,  lord,"  said  the  priest. 

Manawhiddan  returned  his  salute,  and  wondered 
yet  more  in  himself  that  he  should  see  another 
stranger  on  that  morning,  when  all  hitherto  had  been 
desolate  and  without  inhabitants. 

"  Why,  my  lord,"  said  the  priest,  "  what  work  are 
you  engaged  upon  ?  " 

"  I  am  hanging  a  thief  that  I  caught  robbing  me." 

"  What  manner  of  thief?  "  asked  the  priest. 

"  See,  this  is  it,"  said  Manawhiddan,  and  he  showed 
the  mouse,  that  began  to  struggle  and  squeal  in  his 
hand  so  soon  as  it  saw  the  priest. 

"  Sir,"  exclaimed  the  newcomer,  "  I  do  not  like  to  see 
a  man  of  your  rank  exercising  the  hangman's  office." 

"  W^hy  nDt  ?  "  asked  Manawhiddan.  "If  thieves 
steal  my  corn,  they  shall  die  a  thief's  doom." 

397 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

"  Rather  than  that,"  said  the  priest,  ''  I  will  give 
you  three  pounds." 

"  Keep  your  three  pounds  towards  a  bell  for 
your  church,  sir  priest,"  said  Manawhiddan.  "  I  am 
by  no  means  disposed  to  give  up  or  to  sell  the 
mouse."      Then  the  priest  went  his  way. 

Just  as  he  was  noosing  the  string  round  the  neck 
of  the  mouse,  he  saw  a  bishop's  retinue,  with  his 
sumpter-horses  and  his  attendants,  ride  up  the  hill. 
Then  Manawhiddan  wondered  yet  more,  and  he  kept 
a  faster  grip  than  ever  on  the  mouse.  He  looked  at 
the  bishop  and  said,  "  Give  me  thy  blessing,  my 
lord  bishop." 

The  bishop  said,  "  My  blessing  be  on  thee.  But 
what  art  thou  engaged  upon  ?  " 

Manawhiddan  answered,  "  I  am  stringing  up  a 
thief  whom  I  caught  stealing  my  corn." 

The  bishop  said,  "  I  will  gladly  give  you  seven 
pounds  if  you  will  let  the  mouse  run  away." 

"  I  will  not  set  it  free  for  twice  that  sum." 

"  Then,  rather  than  that  the  mouse  should  be  hung, 
I  will  even  give  twenty  pounds,"  said  the  bishop. 

"  I  will  not  set  it  free  for  that  sum,"  answered 
Manawhiddan. 

"If  thou  wilt  let  the  mouse  go  free,"  said  the 
bishop,  "  I  will  give  thee  all  the  horses  that  thou 
seest,  and  the  seven  loads  of  baggage  on  the  seven 
horses." 

"  Not  for  that  will  I  liberate  the  mouse." 

"  Then,"  said  the  bishop  angrily,  "  name  thy  price." 
And  he  stamped  his  foot,  and  his  headgear  fell  on 
one   side,  and   Manawhiddan   saw  that    he   had    red 

398 


The  Four  Friends 

hair,  and  he  suspected  he  had  to  do  with  Wall,  the  son 
of  Clud.  So  he  thought  a  moment  and  then  said, 
"  If  I  let  the  mouse  run  away,  I  must  have  Rhyannon 
and  Pryder  set  free." 

"  It  shall  be  so,"  said  the  bishop,  or  rather  Wall 
who  was  disguised  as  one.      "  I  will  set  them  free." 

"  That  is  not  sufficient,"  continued  Manawhiddan  ; 
"  I  will  not  let  loose  the  mouse  for  that  alone.  I 
must  have  the  spell  taken  off  the  land." 

"  That  also  shall  be  done." 

"  That  does  not  suffice,"  continued  ]\Ianawhiddan, 
and  he  pinched  the  mouse  so  that  it  squealed.  "  I 
must  know  both  \\ho  you  are,  and  who  is  the 
mouse." 

*'  That  also  }-ou  shall  have,"  said  the  disguised 
bishop.  "  I  am  Wall,  the  son  of  Clud,  and  I  have 
done  all  this  evil  to  thee  and  thine,  because  I  would 
be  avenged  for  the  Badgering  in  the  Bag.  And  as 
to  the  mouse,  she  is  my  wife.  I  transformed  all  my 
household  into  mice,  and  they  have  destroyed  all  thy 
corn.  If  we  could  have  driven  thee  and  thy  stepson 
out  of  the  land,  I  would  have  taken  it  as  my  princi- 
pality.     Now,  let  the  mouse,  my  wife,  free." 

"  That  I  will  not  do  yet,"  said  Manawhiddan,  and 
he  nipped  the  ear  of  the  mouse  between  his  finger 
and  thumb  nail,  and  it  squealed  pitifully.  "  First  you 
must  swear  to  me  not  to  put  any  more  spells  on  the 
land." 

"  To  that  also  I  agree,"  said  Wall.  "  Now  release 
the  mouse,  my  wife." 

"  Not  yet,"  answered  Manawhiddan.  "  Before  I 
open   my  hand  and   let  her  run,  you  must  swear  not 

399 


The  Old  English  Fairy  Tales 

in  any  way  to  avenge  what  has  been  done  upon  me 
or  Pryder  or  any  of  our  race." 

"  All  this  shall  be,"  said  Wall.  "  And  truly  you 
have  done  well  in  exacting  this." 

"  That  I  know,"  said  Manawhiddan  ;  "  therefore  did 
I  keep  hold  of  the  mouse." 

"  Let  her  go  now." 

"  Not  till  all  be  as  covenanted  between  us. 
Where  are  Pryder  and  Rhyannon." 

"  Behold,  here  they  come,"  said  Wall. 

Then,  all  at  once,  the  two  lost  ones  stood  before 
them.  The  country  appeared  no  longer  desert,  but 
cultivated,  and  filled  with  people. 

Thereupon  Manawhiddan  opened  his  hand,  and 
out  ran — not  a  mouse,  but  a  beautiful  lady.  Then 
she  was  mounted  on  a  palfrey,  and  rode  away ;  and 
she  and  Wall  were  seen  no  more. 

Note. — The  story  of  Manawyddan,  son  of  Llyr,  is  in  the  Mabino- 
gion.  The  only  alteration  made  in  it  is  to  make  the  magician  into 
Gwawl  in  place  of  Llwyd,  son  of  Kilcoed,  the  friend  of  Gwawl,  and 
this  is  done  for  the  simplification  of  the  story. 

The  story  of  the  mice  is  doubtless  a  reminiscence  of  an  old  myth 
relative  to  souls,  which  in  many  mythologies  are  supposed  to  take 
the  form  of  mice.  Apollo  Smintheus  was  the  sun-god  in  his  cha- 
racter of  guardian  of  departed  spirits  ;  so  also  St.  Gertrude  is 
represented  with  mice,  because  in  art  she  has  inherited  the  attri- 
butes of  Perchta,  the  Teutonic  goddess  of  the  dead. 


MORRISON   AND   GIEP.,    PRINTERS,    EDINBURGH. 


A  LIST  OF  NEW  BOOKS 

AND  ANNOUNCEMENTS   OF 

METHUEN    AND    COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  :  LONDON 

36  ESSEX  STREET 

W.C. 


CONTENTS 

PAGi 

FORTHCOMING  BOOKS,   . 

2 

POKTRY,                  .... 

10 

ENGLISH  CLASSICS, 

12 

HISTGRT,    ... 

13 

BIOGRAPHY, 

15 

GENERAL  LITERATORE, 

i6 

THEOLOGY, 

17 

LEADERS  or  RELIGION, 

19 

WORKS  BY  S.  BARING  GOULD.     . 

19 

FICTION, 

21 

BOOKS  FOR  BOYS  AND  GIRLS,      . 

29 

THE  PEACOCK  LIBRARY, 

29 

UNIVBRSITY   EXTENSION   SERIES, 

30 

SOCIAL  QUESTIONS  OF  TO-DAY, 

31 

CLASSICAL  TRANSLATIONS,       . 

32 

SEPTEMBER    1895 


September  1895. 


Messrs.    Methuen^s 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 


Poetry  and  Belles  Lettres 

RUDYARD  KIPLING 
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W.   E.   HENLEY 
ENGLISH  LYRICS.     Selected  and  Edited  by  W.  E.  Henley. 
Croivn  Svo.    Buckram.     6s. 
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language.     The  book  will  be  produced  with  the  same  care  that   made  '  Lyra 
Heroica'  delightful  to  the  hand  and  eye. 

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Also  75  copies  on  hand-made  paper.     Demy  Svo.     21s. 
This  edition  will  contain  a  carefully  collated  Text  and  Notes  on  the  Text,  a  critical 
and  Biographical  Introductiouj  Introductory  Notes  to  the  Poems,  and  a  Glossary. 


Messrs.  Methuen's  Annoucbments         3 

robert  louis  stevehson 
VAILIMA     LETTERS.      By    Robert    Louis    Stevenson. 
With  an  Etched  Portrait  by  William  Strang,  and  other  Illustra- 
tions.    Crown  Svo.     Btukram.    *]s.  6d. 
Also  125  copies  on  hand-made  paper.     Demy  Svo.     25 j. 
A  series  of  long  journal  letters  written  from  Samoa  to  Mr.  Sidney  Colvin  d'oring  the 
last  five  years.     They  form  an   autobiography  of  Mr.    Stevenson  during  this 
period,  giving  a  full  account  of  his  daily  life  and  literary  work  and  ambitions. 
Mr.  Colvin  has  written  a  Prologue  and  Epilogue,  and  has  added  numerous  notes. 

ENGLISH    CLASSICS 
Edited  by  W.  E.  Henley. 

The  books,  which  are  designed  and  printed  by  Messrs.  Constable,  are  issued  in 
two  editions— (i)  A  small  edition,  on  the  finest  Japanese  vellum,  limited  in  most 
cases  to  25  copies,  demy  Svo,  21s.  a  volume  nett;  (2)  The  popular  edition  on  laid 
paper,  crown  Svo,  buckram,  3*.  6d.  a  volume. 

NEW  VOLUMES. 

THE  LIVES  OF  DONNE,  WOTTON,  HOOKER,  HERBERT, 
AND  SANDERSON.  By  Izaak  Walton.  With  an  Introduction 
by  Vernon  Blackburn,  and  a  Portrait. 

THE  LIVES  OF  THE  ENGLISH  POETS.  By  Samuel 
Johnson,  LL.D.  With  an  Introduction  by  James  Hepburn 
Millar,  and  a  Portrait     3  vols. 

W.  M.  DiXON 
A  PRIMER  OF  TENNYSON.  By  W.  M.  DixoN,  M.A., 
Professor  of  English  Literature  at  Mason  College.  Cr.  Svo.  2s.  6d. 
This  book  consists  of  (i)  a  succinct  but  complete  biography  of  Lord  Tennyson; 
(2)  an  account  of  the  volumes  published  by  him  in  chronological  order,  dealing  with 
the  more  important  poems  separately  ;  (3)  a  concise  criticism  of  Tennyson  in  his 
various  aspects  as  lyrist,  dramatist,  and  representative  poet  of  his  day;  (4)  a 
bibliography.  Such  a  complete  book  on  such  a  subject,  and  at  ?nch  a  moderate 
price,  should  find  a  host  of  readers. 

Fiction 

MARIE  COP.ELLI 

A    NEW    ROMANCE.      By    Marie    Corelli,    Author    of 

*  Barabbas,'  *  A  Romance  of  Two  Worlds,'  etc.     Crowji  Svo.     6s. 

The  title  of  Miss  CorellVs  nezv  novel  is  not  yet  settled. 


4         Messrs.  Methuen's  Announcements 

ANTHONY  HOPE 
THE  CHRONICLES  OF  COUNT  ANTONIO.    By  Anthony 
Hope,  Author  of  •  The  Prisoner  of  Zenda,'  '  The  God  in  the  Car,' 
etc.     Crown  8vo.     6s. 
A  romance  of  mediasval  Italy. 

GILBERT  PARKER 

AN    ADVENTURER    OF    THE    NORTH.      By    Gilbert 

Parker,  Author  of  *  Pierre  and  his  People,'  '  The  Translation  of  a 

Savage,'  etc     Crown  Svo.  6s. 

This  book  consists  of  more  tales  of  the  Far  North,  and  contains  the  last  adventures 
of '  Pretty  Pierre.'  Mr.  Parker's  first  volume  of  Canadian  stories  was  published 
about  three  years  ago,  and  was  received  with  unanimous  praise. 

EUILT  LAWLESS 
HURRISH.      By  the    Honble.    Emily    Lawless,  Author   of 
*MaeIcho,' 'Crania,' etc.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 
A  reissue  of  Miss  Lawless'  most  popular  novel. 

S.  BARING  GOULD 
NOEMI.    By  S.  Baring  Gould,  Author  of  *  Mehalah,'  *  In  the 

Roar  of  the  Sea,'  etc.    Illustrated  by  R.  Caton  Woodville.   Crown 
Svo.     6s. 
A  Romance  of  Old  France. 

MRS.  CLIFFORD 

A   FLASH    OF    SUMMER.      By    Mrs.  W.   K.    Clifford, 
Author  of  *  Aunt  Anne.*    Crown  Svo.    6s. 

J.  MACLARHN  COBBAN 
THE  KING  OF  ANDAMAN.     By  J.   Maclaren   Cobban, 
Author  of  ♦  The  Red  Sultan,'  etc.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 

G.  BIANVILLE  FENN 
AN  ELECTRIC  SPARK.    By  G.  Manville  Fenn,  Author  of 
*  The  Vicar's  Wife,'  *  A  Double  Knot,'  etc.     Crozvn  Svo.     6s. 

C.  PHILLIPS  WOOLLEY 
THE   QUEENSBERRY  CUP.      A  Tale  of  Adventure.      By 
Clive  Phillips  Woolley,  Author  of  'Snap,'  Part  Author  of  *Big 
Game  Shooting.'     Illustrated.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 
This  is  a  story  of  amateur  pugilism  and  chivalrous  adventure,  written  by  an  author 
whose  books  on  sport  are  well  known. 


Messrs.  Methuen's  Announcements         5 

H.  G.  WELLS 

THE  STOLEN  BACILLUS,  AND  OTHER  STORIES.  By 
H.  G.  Wells,  Author  of  *  The  Time  Machine.'    Crown  %vo.    6s. 

MARY  GAUNT 

THE  MOVING  FINGER:  chapters  from  the  Romance  of 
Australian  Life.  By  Mary  Gaunt,  Author  of  *  Dave's  Sweetheart.' 
Crotvn  Svo.     3^.  6d. 

EVAN  ANGUS  ABBOTT 

THE  GODS  GIVE  ^MY  DONKEY  WINGS.  By  Evan 
Angus  Abbott.     Crown  Svo.    3^.  6d. 


Illustrated  Books 

S.  BARING  GOULD 

OLD  ENGLISH  FAIRY  TALES  collected  and  edited  by  S. 
Baring  Gould.  With  numerous  illustrations  by  F.  D.  Bedford. 
Crown  Svo,  6s. 

This  volume  consists  of  some  of  the  old  English  stories  which  have  been  lost  to 
sight,  and  they  are  fully  illustrated  by  Mr.  Bedford. 

A  BOOK  OF  NURSERY  SONGS  AND  RHYMES.  Edited 
by  S.  Baring  Gould,  and  illustrated  by  the  Students  of  the  Bir- 
mingham Art  School.  Crown  Svo.  6s. 
A  collection  of  old  nursery  songs  and  rhymes,  including  a  number  which  are  little 
known.  The  book  contains  some  charming  illustrations,  borders,  etc.,  by  the 
Birmingham  students  under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  Gaskin,  and  Mr.  Baring 
Gould  has  added  numerous  notes.  This  book  and  the  next  have  been  printed  in 
a  special  heavy  type  by  Messrs.  Constable. 

H.  C.  BEECniNG 

A  BOOK  OF  CHRISTMAS  VERSE.  Edited  by  H.  C. 
Beeching,  M.A.,  and  Illustrated  by  Walter  Crane.  Crown 
Svo.    5j. 

A  collection  of  the  best  verse  inspired  by  the  birth  of  Christ  from  the  Middle  Ages 
to  the  present  day.  Mr.  Walter  Crane  has  designed  several  illustrations,  and 
the  cover.  A  distinction  of  the  book  is  the  large  number  of  poems  it  contains 
by  modem  authors,  a  few  of  which  are  here  printed  for  the  first  time. 


6         Messrs.  Methuen's  Announcements 

JOHN  KEBLE 
THE  CHRISTIAN  YEAR.    By  John  Keble.    With  an  Intro- 
duction  and  Notes  by  W.  Lock,  M.  A.,  Sub- Warden  of  Keble  College, 
Author  of  'The  Life  of  John  Keble.*     Illustrated  by  R.  Anning 
Bell.    Fcap,  8vo.     $s. 

A  new  edition  of  a  famous  book,  _  illustrated  and  printed  in  black  and  red, 
uniform  with  the  '  Imitation  of  Christ.' 

Theology  and  Philosophy 

B.  C.  GIBSON 
THE  XXXIX.  ARTICLES  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENG- 
LAND. Edited  with  an  Introduction  by  E.  C.  Gibson,  M.A, 
Principal  of  Wells  Theological  College.  In  two  volumes.  Demy 
Svo.  ys.  6d.  each.  Vol.  I. 
This  is  the  first  volume  oi  a  treatise  on  the  xxxix.  Articles,  and  contains  the  Intro- 
duction and  Articles  i.-xviii. 

S.  L.  OTTLEY 
THE  DOCTRINE   OF   THE   INCARNATION.      By   R.   L. 

Ottley,  M.A.,  late  fellow  of  Magdalen  College,  Oxon.  Principal 
of  Pusey  House.  In  two  volumes.  Demy  8vo.  Js.  6d.  each.  Vol.  I. 
This  is  the  first  volume  of  a  book  intended  to  be  an  aid  in  the  study  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  Incarnation.  It  deals  with  the  leading  points  in  the  history  of  the  doctrine, 
its  content,  and  its  relation  to  other  truths  of  Christian  faith. 

F.  S.  GRANGER 

THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  ROMANS.     By  F.  S.  Granger, 

M.A.,   Litt.D.,    Professor  of   Philosophy    at    University    College, 

Nottingham.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 

The  author  has  attempted  to  delineate  that  group  of  beliefs  which  stood  in  close 
connection  with  the  Roman  religion,  and  amon^  the  subjects  treated  are  Dreams, 
Nature  Worship,  Roman  Magic,  Divination,  Holy  Places,  Victims,  etc.  Thus 
the  book  is,  apart  from  its  immediate  subject,  a  contribution  to  folk-lore  and 
comparative  psychology. 

L.  T.  HOB  HOUSE 
THE  THEORY  OF  KNOWLEDGE.  By  L.  T.  HOBHOUSE, 
Fellow  and  Tutor  of  Corpus  College,  Oxford.  Demy  Svo.  21s. 
'  The  Theory  of  Knowledge '  deals  with  some  of  the  fundamental  problems  of 
Metaphysics  and  Logic,  by  treating  them  in  connection  with  one  another. 
Part  i.  begins  with  the  elementary  conditions  of  knowledge  such  as  Sensation 
and  Memory,  and  passes  on  to  Judgment.  Part  ii.  deals  with  Inference  in 
general,  and  Induction  in  particular.  Part  hi.  deals  with  the  structural  concep- 
tions of  Knowledge,  such  as  Matter,  Substance,  and  Personality.  The  main 
purpose  of  the  book  is  constructive,  but  it  is  also  critical,  and  various  objections 
are  considered  and  met. 


Messrs.  Methuen's  Announcements         7 

W.  H.   PAIRBROTHEE 

THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  T.  H.  GREEN.  By  W.  H.  Fair- 
BROTHER,  M.A.,  Lecturer  at  Lincoln  College,  Oxford.     Crown  Svo. 

This  volume  is  expository,  not  critical,  and  is  intended  for  senior  students  at  the 
Universities,  and  others,  as  a  statement  of  Green's  teaching  and  an  introduction 
to  the  study  of  Idealist  Philosophy. 

F.  W.  BUSSELL 

THE  SCHOOL  OF  PLATO  :  its  Origin  and  Revival  under 
the  Roman  Empire.  By  F.  W.  Bussell,  M.A,,  Fellow  and  Tutor 
of  Brasenose  College,  Oxford.    In  two  volumes.    Demy  Svo.     Vol.  I. 

In  these  volumes  the  author  has  attempted  to  reach  the  central  doctrines  of  Ancient 
Philosophy,  or  the  place  of  man  in  created  things,  and  his  relation  to  the  outer 
world  of  Nature  or  Society,  and  to  the  Divine  Being.  The  first  volume  com- 
prises a  survey  of  the  entire  period  of  a  thousand  years,  and  examines  the 
cardinal  notions  of  the  Hellenic,  Hellenistic,  and  Roman  ages  from  this  particular 
point  of  view. 

In  succeeding  divisions  the  works  of  Latin  and  Greek  writers  under  the  Empire 
will  be  more  closely  studied,  and  detailed  essays  will  discuss  their  various  systems, 
e.^.  Cicero,  Manilius,  Lucretius,  Seneca,  Aristides,  Appuleius,  and  the  New 
Platonists  of  Alexandria  and  Athens. 

C.  J.  SHEBBEARE 
THE    GREEK    THEORY    OF    THE    STATE    AND   THE 
NONCONFORMIST    CONSCIENCE :    a   Socialistic  Defence  of 
some  Ancient  Institutions.     By  Charles  John  Shebbeare,  B.A., 
Christ  Church,  Oxford.     Crown  Svo.    2s.  6d. 


History  and  Biography 

EDWARD  GIBBON 

THE  DECLINE  AND  FALL  OF  THE  ROMAN  EMPIRE. 
By  Edward  Gibbon.  A  New  Edition,  edited  with  Notes, 
Appendices,  and  Maps  by  J.  B.  Bury,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
College,  Dublin.    In  Seven  Volumes.     Crown  Svo.    6s.  each.     Vol.  I. 

The  time  seems  to  have  arrived  for  a  new  edition  of  Gibbon's  great  work— furnished 
with  such  notes  and  appendices  as  may  bring  it  up  to  the  standard  of  recent  his- 
torical research.  Edited  by  a  scholar  who  has  made  this  period  his  special  study, 
and  issued  in  a  convenient  form  and  at  a  moderate  price,  this  edition  should  fill 
an  obvious  void.     The  volumes  will  be  issued  at  incervals  of  a  few  months. 


8         Messrs.  Methuen's  Announcements 

E.  L.  S.  HORSBURGH 

THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  WATERLOO.     By  E.  L.  S.  HORS- 

BURGH,  B.A.      With  Plans.     Crown  Svo.     5^. 

This  is  a  full  account  of  the  final  struggle  of  Napoleon,  and  contains  a  careful  study 
from  a  strategical  point  of  view  of  the  movements  of  the  French  and  allied  armies. 

FLINDERS  PETRIE 

EGYPTIAN    DECORATIVE   ART.      By  W.   M.  Flinders 

Petrie,  D.C.L.      With  120  Illustrations.     Crown  Svo.     y.  6d. 
A  book  which  deals  with  a  subject  which  has  never  yet  been  seriously  treated. 

EGYPTIAN  TALES.  Translated  from  the  Papyri,  and  edited 
with  notes  by  W.  M.  Flinders  Petrie,  LL.D.,  D.C.L.  Illus- 
trated by  Tristram  Ellis.     Part  II.     Crown  Svo.     3s.  6d. 

W.  H.  EUTTON 
THE  LIFE  OF  SIR  THOMAS  MORE.     By  W.  H.  HUTTON, 

M.A.,  Author  of  '  William  Laud.'    PVitA  Portraits.    Crown  Svo.    ^s. 

This  book  contains  the  result  of  some  research  and  a  considerable  amount  of  infor- 
mation not  contained  in  other  Lives.  It  also  contains  six  Portraits  after  Holbein 
of  More  and  his  relations. 

R.  F.  HORTON 

JOHN  HOWE.    By  R.  F.  Horton,  D  D.,  Author  of 'The  Bible 

and  Inspiration,'  etc.     Wit  A  a  Portrait,     Crown  Svo.     3^.  6<f. 

[Leaders  of  Religion. 

F.  M'CUNN 

THE   LIFE  OF   JOHN    KNOX.    By   F.   M'Cunn.     With  a 

Portrait.      Crown  Svo.     "^s.  6d.  {Leaders  of  Religion. 

General  Literature 

W.  B.  WORSFOLD 

SOUTH  AFRICA:  Its  History  and  its  Future.     By  W.  Basil 

WoRSFOLD,  M.A.      With  a  Map.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 

This  volume  contains  a  short  history  of  Seuth  Africa,  and  a  full  account  of  its 
present  position,  and  of  its  extraordinary  capacities. 

J.  S.  SHEDLOCK 

THE  PIANOFORTE  SONATA  :  Its  Origin  and  Development. 

By  J.  S.  Shedlock.     Crown  Svo.     55. 

This  is  a  practical  and  not  unduly  technical  account  of  the  Sonata  treated  histori- 
cally. It  contains  several  novel  features,  and  an  account  of  various  works  little 
known  to  the  English  public. 


Messrs.  Methuen's  announcements         9 

F.   W.  THEOBALD 
INSECT    LIFE.     By  F.   W.  Theobald,   M.A.      Illustrated. 
Crown  8vo.     2s.  6d.  [  C/nw.  Extension  Series. 

R.  F.  BOWMAKER 
THE   HOUSING   OF   THE  WORKING   CLASSES.     By  F. 

BoWMAKER.     Crown  2>vo.     2s.  6d,  [Social  Questions  Series. 

W.  CUNNINGHAM 
BARGAINING  :     A     CHAPTER     OF     MODERN      ECO- 
NOMICS.     By    W.    Cunningham,    LL.D.,    Fellow    of   Trinity 
College,  Cambridge.      Crown  Svo.     2s.  6d.     [Social  Questions  Series. 

M.  KAUFMANN. 
SOCIALISM  AND  MODERN  THOUGHT.      By   M.    Kaufmann, 
Croivfi  Svo.    2s.  6d.  [Social  Questions  Series. 

Classical   Translations 

NEW  VOLUMES 

Crown  Svo.     Finely  printed  and  bound  in  blue  buckram. 

SOPHOCLES— Electra  and  Ajax.  Translated  by  E.  D.  A. 
MoRSHEAD,  M.A.,  late  Scholar  of  New  College,  Oxford;  Assistant 
Master  at  Winchester.     2s.  6d. 

CICERO— De  Natura  Deorum.  Translated  by  F.  Brooks, 
M.A.     3^.  6d. 


Educational 


A.  M.  M.  STEDMAN 
STEPS  TO  GREEK.     By  A.  M.  M.  Stedman,  M.A.      iZfuo. 
IS.  6d. 

A  very  easy  introduction  to  Greek,  with  Greek-English  and  English-Greek  Exercises. 

C.  E.   PRIOR 
A    SKETCH    OF   FRENCH    LITERATURE    FOR    ARMY 
AND    CERTIFICATE   EXAMINATIONS.      By  C.   E.   Prior, 
late  Assistant  Master  at  the  Oxford  Military  College,  Senior  Modern 
Language  Master  at  Fettes  College.     Crown  Svo.     is.  6d. 

F.  D.  SWIFT 
DEMOSTHENES  AGAINST  CONON   AND    CALLICLES. 
Edited,  with  Notes,  Appendices,  and  Vocabulary,  by  F.  Darwin 
Swift,    M.A.,    formerly    Scholar    of    Queen's    College,    Oxford  ; 
Assistant  Master  at  Denstone  College.     Fcap.  Svo.     2s. 
A  2 


< 


A  LIST  OF 

Messrs.    Methuen's 

PUBLICATIONS 


Poetry 

Kudyard    Kipling.      BARRACK-ROOM     BALLADS;     And 

Oiher  Verses.     By  Rudyard  Kipling.     Eighth  Edition.     Crown 
Svo.     6s. 

A  Special  Presentation  Edition,  bound  in  white  buckram,  with 
extra  gilt  ornament.     7^.  6J. 

'  Mr.  Kipling's  verse  is  strong,  vivid,  full  of  character.  .  .  .  Unmistakable  genius 
rings  in  every  line.' — Times. 

'The  disreputable  lingo  of  Cockayne  is  henceforth  justified  before  the  world  ;  fora 
man  of  genius  has  taken  it  in  hand,  and  has  shown,  beyond  all  cavilling,  that  in 
its  way  it  also  is  a  medium  for  literature.  You  are  grateful,  and  you  say_  to 
yourself,  half  in  envy  and  half  in  admiration :  "  Here  is  a  Sook ;  here,  or  one  is  a 
Dutchman,  is  one  of  the  books  of  the  year."  ' — NatiorM,!  Observer. 

'  "  Barrack-Room  Ballads  "  contains  some  of  the  best  v/ork  that  Mr.  Kipling  has 
ever  done,  which  is  saying  a  good  deal.  "  Fuzzy- Wuzzy,"  ''Gunga  Din,"  and 
"  Tommy,"  are,  in  our  opinion,  altogether  superior  to  anything  of  the  kind  that 
English  literature  has  hitherto  produced.' — Athcmrunt. 

'The  ballads  teem  with  imagination,  they  palpitate  with  emotion.  We  read  them 
with  laughter  and  tears ;  the  metres  throb  in  our  pulses,  the  cunningly  ordered 
words  tingle  with  life  ;  and  if  this  be  not  poetry,  what  is?' — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

Eenley.  LYRA  HEROICA :  An  Anthology  selected  from  the 
best  English  Verse  of  the  i6th,  17th,  i8th,  and  19th  Centuries.  By 
William  Ernest  Henley.     Crouun  Svo.     Buckram^  gilt  top.     6j. 

Mr.  Henley  has  brought  to  the  task  of  selection  an  instinct  alike  for  poetry  and  for 
chivalry  which  seems  to  os  quite  wonderfully,  and  even  unerringly,  right.'— 
Guardian. 


Messrs.  Methuen's  List  ii 

"Q"    THE  GOLDEN  POMP  :  A  Procession  of  English  Lyrics 
from  Surrey  to  Shirley,  arranged  by  A.  T.  QuiLLER  COUCK.    Crowti 
Svo.     Buckram.     6s. 
Also  40  copies  on  hand -made  paper.    Demy  Sva.     £1,  is.  net. 
Also  15  copies  on  Japanese  paper.     Demy  Zvo.    £2,  2s.  net. 
'A  delightful  volame  :  a  really  golden  "Pomp."' — Spectator. 

'  Of  the  man^  anthologies  of  '  old  rhyme '  recently  made,  Mr.  Couch's  seems  the 
richest  in  its  materials,  and  the  most  artistic  in  its  arrangement.  Mr.  Couch's 
notes  are  admirable;  and  Messrs.  Mcthuen  are  to  be  congratulated  on  the  format 
of  the  sumptuous  volume.' — Realm. 

"  Q."    GREEN  BAYS  :  Verses  and  Parodies.     By  "  Q.,"  Author 
of 'Dead  Man's  Rock,'  etc.     Second  Edition.     Fcap.  %vo.     ^s.6d. 
'  The  verses  display  a  rare  and  versatile  gift  of  parody,  great  command  of  metre,  and 
a  very  pretty  turn  of  humour. ' —  Times. 

H.  C.  Beeching.  LYRA  SACRA  :  An  Anthology  of  Sacred  Verse. 
Edited  by  H.  C.  Beeching,  M.A.  Crown  Zvo,  Buckram^  gilt- 
top.     6s. 

'An  anthology  of  high  excellence.' — Athenetum^. 

'  A  charming  selection,  which  maintains  a  lofty  standard  of  excellence.' — Times. 

Yeats.  AN  ANTHOLOGY  OF  IRISH  VERSE.  Edited  by 
W.  B.  Yeats.     Crown  Svo.     3^.  6d. 

An  attractive  and  catholic  selection.' — Times. 
'  It  is  edited  by  the  most  original  and  most  accomplished  of  modern  Irish  poets,  and 
against  his  editing  but  a  single  objection  can  be  brought,  namely,  that  it  excludes 
from  the  collection  his  own  delicate  lyrics." — Saturday  Review. 

Mackay.  A  SONG  OF  THE  SEA :  My  Lady  of  Dreams, 
AND  OTHER  POEMS.  By  Eric  Mackay,  Author  of  *The  Love 
Letters  of  a  Violinist. '     Second  Edition.     Fcap.  8vo,  gilt  top,  5 j. 

•  Everywhere  Mr.  Mackay  displays  himself  the  master  of  a  style  marked  by  all  the 
characteristics  of  the  best  rhetoric.  He  has  a  keen  sense  of  rhythm  and  of  general 
balance  ;  his  verse  is  excellently  sonorous,  ard  would  lend  itself  admirably  to 
elecutionary  art.  ...  Its  main  merit  is  its  "long  resounding  march  and  energy 
divine."  Mr.  Mackay  is  full  of  enthusiasm,  and  for  the  right  things.  His  new 
book  is  as  healthful  as  it  is  eloquent." — Globe. 

'Throughout  the  book  the  poetic  workmanship  is  fine.' — Scotsman. 

Jane  Barlow.  THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  FROGS  AND  MICE, 
translated  by  Jane  Barlow,  Author  of  '  Irish  Idylls,'  and  pictured 
by  F.  D.  Bedford.     Small  ^0.    6s.  net. 

Ibsen.  BRAND.  A  Drama  by  Henrik  Ibsen.  Translated  by 
William  Wilson.     Crown  Zvo.     Second  Edition,     y.  6d. 

•The  greatest  world -poem  of  the  nineteenth  century  next  to  "Faust."     "Brand 
will  have  an  astonishing  interest  for  Englishmen.     It  is  in  the  same  set  with 
"  Agamemnon,"  with  "  Lear,"  with  the  literature  that  we  now  instipctively  regard 
4->  hi^h  and  holy.' — Daily  QhionLcU. 


12  Messrs.  Methuen's  List 

"A.G."    VERSES  TO  ORDER.    By"A.  G."    Cr.  Svo.    2s,6d. 

net. 
A  small  volume  of  verse  by  a  writer  whose  initials  are  well  known  to  Oxford  men. 
'  A  capital  specimen  of  light  academic  poetry.    These  verses  are  very  bright  and 
engaging,  easy  and  sufficiently  witty.'— 6"^.  James's  Gazette. 

Hosken.     VERSES    BY    THE   WAY.    By  J.  D.   Hosken. 
Crown  Svo.     5j. 

Gale.    CRICKET  SONGS.    By  Norman  Gale.    Crown  Svo. 
Linen,     2s.  6d. 

Also  a  limited  edition  on  hahd-made  paper.    Demy  Svo.     los.  6d. 
net. 
.'As  healthy  as  they  are  spirited,  and  ought  to  have  a  great  success.' — Times. 
'  Simple,  manly,  and  humorous.   Every  cricketer  should  buy  the  book.' — Westminster 
Gazette.  '  Cricket  has  never  known  such  a  singer.' — Cricket. 

Langbridge.  BALLADS  OF  THE  BRAVE :  Poems  of  Chivalry, 
Enterprise,  Courage,  and  Constancy,  from  the  Earliest  Times  to  the 
Present  Day.  Edited,  with  Notes,  by  Rev.  F.  Langbridge. 
Crown  Svo.  Buckram  3^.  6d.  School  Edition,  2s.  6d. 
'  A  very  happy  conception  happily  carried  out.  These  "  Ballads  of  the  Brave  "  are 
intended  to  suit  the  real  tastes  of  boys,  and  will  suit  the  taste  of  the  great  majority. 
—Spectator.  '  The  book  is  full  of  splendid  things.'— IVorUl. 


English  Classics 

Edited  by  W.  E.  Henley. 


Messrs.  Methuen  are  publishing,  under  this  title,  a  series  of  the  masterpieces  of  the 
English  tongue,  which,  while  well  within  the  reach  of  the  average  buyer,  shall  be 
at  once  an  ornament  to  the  shelf  of  him  that  owns,  and  a  delight  to  the  eye  of 
him  that  reads. 

The  series,  of  which  Mr.  William  Ernest  Henley  is  the  general  editor,  will  confine 
itself  to  no  single  period  or  department  of  literature.  Poetry,  fiction,  drama, 
biography,  autobiography,  letters,  essays — in  all  these  fields  is  the  material  of 
many  goodly  volumes. 

The  books,  which  are  designed  and  printed  by  Messrs.  Constable,  are  issued  in  two 
editions — (i)  A  small  edition,  on  the  finest  Japanese  vellum,  demy  Svo,  21s.  a 
volume  net ;  (2)  the  popular  edition  on  laid  paper,  crown  Svo,  buckram,  s^.  6d.  a 
volume. 

THE  LIFE  AND    OPINIONS  OF  TRISTRAM   SHANDY. 

By  Lawrence    Sterne.       With  an   Introduction   by    Charles 

Whibley,  and  a  Portrait.     2  vols.     Js. 
60  copies  on  Japanese  paper.     4.2s.  net. 
'  Very  dainty  volumes  are  these ;  the  paper,  type  and  light  green  binding  are  all 

very_  agreeable  to  the  eye.      "Simplex  munditiis  "  is  the  phrase  that  might  be 

applied  to  them.     So  far  as  we  know,  Sterne's  famous  work  has  never  appeared  in 

a  guise  more  attractive  to  the  connoisseur  than  this.' — Globe, 
'The  bookis  excellently  printed  by  Messrs.  Constable  on  good  paper,  and  being 

divided  into  two  volumes,  is  light  and  handy  without  lacking  the  dignity  of  a 

classic' — Manchester  Guardian. 


Messrs.  Mfthuen's  List  13 

'  This  new  edition  of  a  great  classic  might  make  an  honourable  appearance  in  any 
library  in  the  world.  Printed  by  Constable  on  laid  paper,  bound  in  most  artistic 
and  restful-looking  fig-green  buckram,  with  a  frontispiece  portrait  and  an  introduc- 
tion by  Mr.  Charles  Whibley,  the  book  might  well  be  issued  at  three  times  its 
present  price.' — I'/ish  Independent. 

'Cheap  and  comely;  a  very  agreeable  edition.' — Saturday  Review. 

'A  real  acquisition  to  the  library,' — Birmingham  Post. 

THE    COMEDIES     OF    WILLIAM     CONGREVE.      With 

an  Introduction  by   G.    S.    Street,  and  a   Portrait.     2  vols.    "js. 

25  copies  on  Japanese  paper,     ^zs.  net. 

'  The  comedies  are  reprinted  in  a  good  text  and  on  a  page  delightful  to  look  upon. 
The  pieces  are  rich  reading.' — Scotsman. 

'  So  long  as  literature  thrives,  Congreve  must  be  read  with  growing  zest,  in  virtue  of 
qualities  which  were  always  rare,  and  which  were  never  rarer  than  at  this  moment. 
All  that  is  best  and  most  representative  of  Congreve's  genius  is  included  in  this 
latest  edition,  wherein  for  the  first  time  the  chaotic  punctuation  of  its  forerunners 
is  reduced  to  order — a  necessary,  thankless  task  on  which  Mr.  Street  has  mani- 
festly spent  much  pains.  Of  his  introduction  it  remains  to  say  that  it  is  an  ex- 
cellent appreciation,  notable  for  catholicity,  discretion,  and  finesse  :  an  admirable 
piece  of  work.' — Pali  Mall  Gazette. 

'  Two  volumes  of  marvellous  cheapness.' — Dublin  Herald. 

THE    ADVENTURES    OF    HAJJI   BABA   OF   ISPAHAN. 
By  James  Morier.    With  an  Introduction  by  E.  G.  Browne,  M.A. 
and  a  Portrait.     2  vols.     'js. 
25  copies  on  Japanese  paper.     21s.  net^ 


History 


Flinders   Petrie.     A    HISTORY   OF    EGYPT,    from   the 
Earliest  Times  to  the  Hyksos.     By  W.  M.  Flinders  Petrie, 
D.C.L.,  Professor  of  Egyptology  at  University  College.     Fully  Illus- 
trated,    Second  Edition.     Crowji  8vo.     6s. 
'An  important  contribution  to  scientific  stndy.'—Scotsman. 

•  A  history  written  in  the  spirit  of  scientific  precision  so  worthily  represented  by  Dr. 
Petrie  and  his  school  cannot  but  promote  sound  and  accurate  study,  and  supply  a 
vacant  place  in  the  English  literature  of  Egyptology.'— 7"rV««. 

riinders  Petrie.  EGYPTIAN  TALES.  Edited  by  W.  M. 
Flinders  Petrie.  Illustrated  by  Tristram  Ellis.  Crown  Svo. 
3s.  6d. 

•  A  valuable  addition  to  the  literature  of  comparative  folk-lore.     The  drawings  are 

really  illustrations  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  word.' — Globe. 
'  It  has  a  scientific  value  to  the  student  of  history  and  archd^ology. '—Scotsvian. 
•Invaluable  as^a  picture  of  life  in  Palestine  and  Egypt.' — Daily  News. 


14  Messrs.  Methuen's  List 

Clark.  THE  COLLEGES  OF  OXFORD  :  Their  History  and 
their  Traditions.  By  Members  of  the  University.  Edited  by  A. 
Clark,  M.A.,  Fellow  and  Tutor  of  Lincoln  College,    Svo.    12s.  6d. 

•  A  delightful  book,  learned  and  lively.' — AceuUnty. 

'  A  work  which  will  certainly  be  appealed  to  for  many  years  as  the  standard  book  on 
the  Colleges  of  Oxford.' — Athensutn. 

Perrens.  THE  HISTORY  OF  FLORENCE  FROM  THE 
TIME  OF  THE  MEDICIS  TO  THE  FALL  OF  THE 
REPUBLIC.  By  F.  T.  Perrens.  Translated  by  Hannah 
Lynch.     In  Three  Volumes.     Vol.  I.     Svo.     12s.  6d. 

'  This  is  a  standard  book  by  an  honest  and  intelligent  historian,  who  has  deserved 
well  of  all  who  are  interested  in  Italian  history.' — Manchester  Guardian. 

George.    BATTLES  OF  ENGLISH  HISTORY.     By  H.  B. 

George,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  New  College,  Oxford.  With  numerous 
Plans,     Second  Edition.     Crown  %vo.     6s. 

'  Mr.  George  has  undertaken  a  very  useful  task— that  of  making  military  affairs  in- 
telligible and  instructive  to  non-military  readers— and  has  executed  it  with  laud- 
able intelligence  and  industry,  and  with  a  large  measure  of  success'— Times. 

'  This  book  is  almost  a  revelation ;  and  we  heartily  congratulate  the  author  on  his 
work  and  on  the  prospect  of  the  reward  he  has  well  deserved  for  so  much  con- 
scientious and  sustained  labour.' — Daily  Chronicle. 

Browning.  GUELPHSAND  GHIBELLINES:  A  Short  History 
of  Mediaeval  Italy,  A.D.  1250- 1409.  By  OscAR  Browning,  Fellow 
and  Tutor  of  King's  College,  Cambridge.  Second  Edition.  Crown 
Svo.    55. 

*  A  very  able  book.' — Westminster  Gazette. 

'  A  vivid  picture  of  mediaeval  Italy. 'Standard. 

Browning.    THE  AGE  OF  THE  CONDOTTIERI :  A  Short 
Story  of  Italy  from  1409  to  1530.     By  Oscar  Browning,  M.A., 
Fellow  of  King's  College,  Cambridge.     Crown  Svo.     S^- 
This  book  is  a  continuation  of  Mr.. Browning's  'Guelphs  and  Ghibellinei,' and  th« 

two  works  form  a  complete  account  of  Italian  history  from  1250  to  1530. 
'  Mr,  Browning  is  to  be  congratulated  on  the  production  of  a  work  of  immense 
labour  and  \&3ixn\ng.'— Westminster  Gazette. 

O'Grady.      THE    STORY    OF    IRELAND.      By    Standish 
O'Grady,  Author  of  *  Finn  and  his  Companions.'     Cr.  Svo.     2s.  6d. 
'  Novel  and  very  fascinating  history.     Wonderfully  a.l\nTing.'—Cork  Examiner.^ 
'Most  delightful,  most   stimulating.     Its   racy   humour,    its   original   imaginingSj 

make  it  one  of  the  freshest,  breeziest  vo\\i.va&%.^— Methodist  Titms. 
'A  survey  at  once  graphic,  acute,  and  quaintly  written.' — Times. 

Maiden.  ENGLISH  RECORDS.  A  Companion  to  the 
History  of  England.    ByH.  E.  Maldkn,  M.A.    Crown  Svo.   is,(>d. 

A  book  which  concentrates  information  upon  dates,  genealogy,  officials,  constitu- 
ti;nal  docnnents.  etc.,  which  is  csoally  fonnd  scattered  in  different  volumes. 


Messrs.  Methuen's  List 


Biography 

ColUngwood.    THE   LIFE  OF  JOHN  RUSKIN.     By  W.  G. 

CoLLiNGWOOD,    M.A.,    Editor    of    Mr.    Ruskin's    Poems.      With 

numerous  Portraits,  and  13  Drawings  by  Mr.  Ruskin.     2  vols.     Svo. 

32J.     Second  Edition. 
'  No  more  magnificent  volumes  have  been  published  for  a  long  time.  .  .  .' — Times. 
'  It  is  long  since  we  have  had  a  biography  with  such  delights  of  substance  and  of 

form.      Such  a  book  is  a  pleasure   for  the  day,  and  a  joy    for  ever.' — Daily 

Chronicle. 
'A  noble  monument  of  a  noble  subject.     One  of  the  most  beautiful  books  about  one 

of  the  noblest  lives  of  oiu'  century." — Glasgow  Herald. 

Waldstein.    JOHN  RUSKIN:  a  Study.    By  Charles  Wald- 

STEIN,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  King's  College,  Cambridge.     With  a  Photo- 
gravure Portrait  after  Professor  Herkomer.     Post  Svo.     ^s. 
Also  25  copies  on  Japanese  paper.     Demy  Svo.     2\s.  net, 

'A  thoughtful,  impartial,  well-written  criticism  of  Ruskin's  teaching,  intended  to 
separate  what  the  author  regards  as  valuable  and  permanent  from  what  is  transient 
.and  erroneous  in  the  great  master's  writing.' — Daily  Chronicle. 

Kaufmann,     CHARLES    KINGSLEY.     By  M.   Kaufmann, 
M.A.     Croivn  Svo.     Buckram,     ^s. 
A  biography  of  Kingsley,  especially  dealing  with  his  achievements  in  social  rciorm. 
'  The  author  has  certainly  gone  about  his  work  with  conscientiousness  and  industry.' — 
Sheffield  Daily  Telegraph. 

Bobbins.  THE  EARLY  LIFE  OF  WILLIAM  EWART 
GLADSTONE.  By  A.  F.  Robbins.  With  Portraits.  Crown 
Svo.     6s. 

'  Considerable  labour  and  much  skill  of  presentation  have  not  been  unworthily 

expended  on  this  interesting  work.' — Times. 
'  Not  only  one  of  the  most  meritorious,  but  one  of  the  most  interesting,  biographical 
works  that  have  appeared  on  the  subject  of  the  ex-Premier.  ...  It  furnishes  a 
picture  from  many  points  original  and  striking  ;  it  makes  additions  of  value  to  the 
evidence  on  which  we  are  entitled  to  estimate  a  great  public  character ;  and  it 
gives  the  reader's  judgment  exactly  that  degree  of  guidance  which  is  the  function 
of  a  calm,  restrained,  and  judicious  historian.' — BirjyizK^luirn  Daily  Post. 

Clark  Russell.      THE  LIFE   OF   ADMIRAL   LORD    COL- 
LINGWOOD.     By  W.  Clark  Russell,  Author  of  '  The  Wreck 
of  the  Grosvenor.'    With  Illustrations  by  F.  Brangwyn.      Second 
Edition.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 
'  A  really  good  book.' — Satu^<.ay  Review. 

'  A  most  excellent  and  wholesome  book,  which  we  should  like  to  see  in  the  hands  of 
every  boy  in  the  country.'— J/.  /a?nfs's  Gazette. 


i6  Messrs.  Methuen's  List 

Southey.  ENGLISH  SEAMEN  (Howard,  Clifford,  Hawkins, 
Drake,  Cavendish).  By  ROBERT  SouTHEY,  Edited,  with  an 
Introduction,  by  David  Hannay.     Crown  %vo.     6j. 

This  is  a  reprint  of  some  excellent  biographies  of  Elizabethan  seamen,  written  by 
Southey  and  never  republished.  They  are  practically  unknown,  and  they  de- 
serve, and  will  probably  obtain,  a  wide  popularity. 

General  Literature 

Gladstone.  THE  SPEECHES  AND  PUBLIC  ADDRESSES 
OF  THE  RT.  HON.  W.  E.  GLADSTONE,  M.P.  With  Notes 
and  Introductions.  Edited  by  A.  W.  HuTTON,  M.A.  (Librarian  of 
the  Gladstone  Library),  and  H.  J.  Cohen,  M.A.     With  Portraits. 

8w.      Vols.  IX.  and  X.     12s.  6d.  each. 

Henley  and  Whibley.     A  BOOK  OF  ENGLISH  PROSE. 

Collected  by  W.  E.  Henley  and  Charles  Whibley.    Cr.  Svo.   6s. 
Also  40  copies  on  Dutch  paper.     21s.  net. 
Also  15  copies  on  Japanese  paper.     42J.  net. 
'A  unique  volume  of  extracts — an  art  gallery  of  early  prose.' — Birming^ham  Post. 
'An  admirable  companion  to  Mr.  Henley's  "Lyra  Heroica."' — Saturday  Review. 
'Quite  delightful.     The  choice  made  has  been  excellent,  and  the  volume  has  been 
most  admirably  printed  by  Messrs.  Constable.     A  greater  treat  for  those  not  well 
acquainted  with  pre- Restoration  prose  could  not  be  imagined.' — Athenceunt. 

Wells.  OXFORD  AND  OXFORD  LIFE.  By  Members  of 
the  University.  Edited  by  J.  Wells,  M.A.,  Fellow  and  Tutor  of 
Wadham  College.     Crown  Svo.     35.  6J. 

This  work  contains  an  account  of  life  at  Oxford — intellectual,  social,  and  religious — 
a  careful  estimate  of  necessary  expenses,  a  review  of  recent  changes,  a  statement 
of  the  present  position  of  the  University,  and  chapters  on  Women's  Education, 
aids  to  study,  and  University  Extension. 

'  We  congratulate  Mr.  Wells  on  the  production  of  a  readable  and  intelligent  account 
of  Oxford  as  it  is  at  the  present  time,  written  by  persons  who  are  possessed  of  a 
close  acquaintance  with  the  system  and  life  of  the  University.'— ^//z^w^'ww. 

Ouida.  VIEWS  AND  OPINIONS.   By  Ouida.  Crown  Svo.  6s. 

'  Her  views  are  always  well  marked  and  forcibly  expressed,  so  that  even  when  you 
most  strongly  differ  from  the  writer  you  can  always  recognise  and  acknowledge 
her  ability.'— G/c3f. 

'  Ouida  is  outspoken,  and  the  reader  of  this  book  will  not  have  a  dull  moment.  The 
book  is  full  of  variety,  and  sparkles  with  entertaining  matter.' — Speaker. 

Bowden.  THE  EXAMPLE  OF  BUDDHA:  Being  Quota- 
tions from  Buddhist  Literature  for  each  Day  in  the  Year.  Compiled 
by  E.  M.  BowDEN.  With  Preface  bj  Sir  Edwin  Arnold.  Third 
Edition.     i6mo.     2s.  td. 


Messrs.  Methuen's  List  17 

Bushill.  PROFIT  SHARING  AND  THE  LABOUR  QUES- 
TION. By  T.  W.  Bushill,  a  Profit  Sharing  Employer.  With  an 
Introduction  by  Sedley  Taylor,  Author  of  *  Profit  Sharing  between 
Capital  and  Labour.'     Crown  %vo,     2s.  6d. 

Maiden.  THE  ENGLISH  CITIZEN:  His  Rights  and 
Duties.    By  H.  E.  Malden,  M.A.     Crown  8vo.     is.  6J. 

A  simple  account  of  the  privileges  and  duties  of  the  English  citizen. 

John  Beever.      PRACTICAL    FLY-FISHING,    Founded   on 
Nature,  by  John  Beever,  late  of  the  Thwaite  House,  Coniston.     A 
New  Edition,  with  a  Memoir  of  the  Author  by  W.  G.  Collingwood, 
M.A.     Crown  Svo.     ^s.  6d. 
A  little  book  on  Fly-Fishing  by  an  old  friend  of  Mr.  Raskin. 

Science 

Freudenreich.  DAIRY  BACTERIOLOGY.  A  Short  Manual 
for  the  Use  of  Students  in  Dairy  Schools,  Cheesemakers,  and 
Farmers.  By  Dr.  Ed.  von  Freudenreich.  Translated  from  the 
German  by  J.  R.  Ainsworth  Davis,  B.A.  (Camb.),  F.C.P.,  Pro- 
fessor of  Biology  and  Geology  at  University  College,  Aberystwyth. 
Crown  Svo.     2s.  6d. 

Chalmers    MitchelL     OUTLINES   OF  BIOLOGY.     By   P. 

Chalmers  Mitchell,    M.A.,  F.Z.S.     Full}f  Illustrated.     Crown 
Svo.     6s. 
A  text-book  designed  to  cover  the  new   Schedule  issued  by  the  Royal  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons. 

Massee.    A  MONOGRAPH  OF  THE  MYXOGASTRES.    By 

George  Massee.     With  12  Coloured  Plates.     Royal  Svo.     iSs.net. 

•a  work  much  in  advance  of  any  book  in  the  language  treating  of  this  group  of 
organisms.  It  is  indispensable  to  every  student  of  the  Myxogastres.  The 
coloured  plates  deserve  high  praise  for  their  accuracy  and  execution.'— iVirj'wr?. 


Theology 


Driver.    SERMONS  ON  SUBJECTS  CONNECTED  WITH 
THE  OLD  TESTAMENT.     By  S.  R.  Driver,  D.D.,  Canon  of 

Christ  Church,    Regius  Professor  of  Hebrew  in  the   University  of 
Oxford.     Crown  Svo.     6j. 
a  welcome  companion  to  the  author's  famous  *  Introduction.'  Nrfman  can  read  these 

discourses  without  feeling  that  Dr.  Driver  is  fully  alive  to  the  deeper  teaching  of 

the  Old  Testament'— G^tf^»-ii';-:r.«. 


1 8  Messrs.  Methuen's  List 

Cheyne.  FOUNDERS  OF  OLD  TESTAMENT  CRITICISM: 
Biographical,  Descriptive,  and  Critical  Studies.  By  T.  K.  Cheyne, 
D.D.,  Oriel  Professor  of  the  Interpretation  of  Holy  Scripture  at 
Oxford.     Large  crown  Zvo.     7s.  6d. 

This  important  book  is  a  historical  sketch  of  O.T.  Criticism  in  the  form  of  biographi- 
cal studies  from  the  days  of  Eichhorn  to  those  of  Driver  and  Robertson  Smith. 
It  is  the  only  book  of  its  kind  in  Engiish, 
'  A  very  learned  and  instructive  work.' — Times. 

Prior.  CAMBRIDGE  SERMONS.  Edited  by  C  H.  Prior, 
M.  A.,  Fellow  and  Tutor  of  Pembroke  College.     Crown  ^vo.     6s. 

A  volume  of  sermons  preached  before  the  University  of  Cambridge  by  various 
preachers,  including  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  Bishop  Westcott. 

'  A  representative  collection.     Bishop  Westcott's  is  a  noble  strmon.'— Guardian. 

•Full  of  thoughtfulness  and  dignity.'— Record. 

Beeching.      SERMONS    TO    SCHOOLBOYS.     By    H.     C. 

Beeching,  M.A.,  Rector  of  Yattendon,  Berks.     With  a  Preface  by 
Canon  Scott  Holland.     Crown  Svo.     2s.  6d. 

Seven  sermons  preached  before  the  boys  of  Bradfield  College. 

Layard.  RELIGION  IN  BOYHOOD.  Notes  on  the  Reli- 
gious Training  of  Boys.  With  a  Preface  by  J.  R.  Illingworth. 
By  E.  B.  Layard,  M.A.     i8mo.     is. 


2Dtt)otlonal  Boo!i0* 

fVifh  Full-pc^e  Illustrations. 

THE   IMITATION    OF   CHRIST.     By  Thomas  A  Kempis. 

With  an  Introduction  by  Archdeacon  Farrar.      Illustrated  by 

C.  M.  Gere,  and  printed  in  black  and  red.     Fcap.  %vo.     35.  6d. 

'  We  must  draw  attention  to  the  anti(^ue  style,  quaintness,  and  typographical  excel- 
lence of  the  work,  its  red-letter  "initials"  and  black  letter  type,  and  old-fashioned 
paragraphic  arrangement  of  pages.  The  antique  paper,  uncut  edges,  and  illustra- 
tions are  in  accord  with  the  other  features  of  this  unique  little  work.' — Newsagent. 

'Amongst  all  the  innunierable  English  editions  of  the  "Imitation,"  there  can  have 
been  few  which  were  prettier  than  this  one,  printed  in  strong  and  handsome  type 
by  Messrs.  Constable,  with  all  the  glory  of  red  initials,  and  the  comfort  of  buckram 
binding.' — Glasgow  Herald. 

THE  CHRISTIAN  YEAR.  By  John  Keble.  With  an  Intro- 
duction and  Notes  by  W.  Lock,  M.A.,  Sub- Warden  of  Keble 
College,  Author  of  'The  Life  of  John  Keble.'  Illustrated  by  R. 
Anning  Bell.     Fcap.  %vo.     ^s,  ^October. 


Messrs.  Methuen's  List  19 

Leaders  of  Religion 

Edited  by  H.  C.  BEECHING,  M.A.     PVith  Portraits,  crown  8w. 

A  series  of  short  biographies  of  the  most  prominent  leaders  I  /' 

of  religious  life  and  thought  of  all  ages  and  countries.  O  j  (^ 

The  following  are  ready —  O/ 

CARDINAL  NEWMAN.    By  R.  H.  Hutton. 
JOHN  WESLEY.    By  J.  H.  Overton,  M.A. 
BISHOP  WILBERFORCE.    By  G.  W.  Daniel,  M.A. 
CARDINAL  MANNING.     By  A.  W.  HUTTON,  M.A. 
CHARLES  SIMEON.     By  H.  C.  G.  MOULE,  M.A. 
JOHN  KEBLE.    By  Walter  Lock,  M.A. 
THOMAS  CHALMERS.     By  Mrs.  Oliphant. 
LANCELOT  ANDREWES.     By  R.  L.  Ottley,  M.A. 
AUGUSTINE  OF  CANTERBURY.     By  E.  L.  Cutts,  D.D. 
WILLIAM  LAUD.     By  W.  H.  HuTTON,  M.A. 

Other  volumes  will  be  announced  in  due  course. 


Works  by  S.  Baring  Gould 

OLD  COUNTRY  LIFE.  With  Sixty-seven  Illustrations  by 
W.  Parkinson,  F.  D.  Bedford,  and  F.  Masey.  Large  Crown 
Svo,  cloth  super  extra^  top  edge  gilt,  iQs,  6d.  Fifth  and  Cheaper 
Edition,     6j, 

'  "  Old  Country  Life,"  as  healthy  wholesome  reading,  full  of  breezy  life  and  move- 
ment, full  of  quaint  stories  vigoroasly  told,  will  not  be  excelled  by  any  book  to  be 
published  throughout  the  year.   Sound,  hearty,  and  English  to  iht.cor^.'— World. 

HISTORIC  ODDITIES  AND  STRANGE  EVENTS.  Third 
Edition.    Crown  "ivo.    6s. 

'  A  collection  of  exciting  and  entertaining  chapters.  The  whole  volume  is  delightful 
reading.'— 7'/w«. 

FREAKS  OF  FANATICISM.    Third  Edition.   Crown  Zvo.  6s. 

'Mr.  Baring  Gould  has  a  keen  eye  for  colour  and  effect,  and  the  subjects  he  has 
chosen  give  ample  scope  to  his  descriptive  and  analytic  faculties.  A  perfectly 
fascinating  book.' — Scottish  Leader, 

A  GARLAND  OF  COUNTRY  SONG  :  English  Folk  Songs 
with  their  traditional  melodies.  Collected  and  arranged  by  S. 
Baring  Gould  and  H.  Fleetwood  Sheppard.     Demy  ^to.     6s. 


20  Messrs.  Methuen's  List 

SONGS  OF  THE  WEST :  Traditional  Ballads  and  Songs  of 
the  West  of  England,  with  their  Traditional  Melodies.  Collected 
by  S.  Baring  Gould,  M.A.,  and  H.  Fleetwood  Shkppard, 
M.A.  Arranged  for  Voice  and  Piano.  In  4  Parts  (containing  25 
Songs  each),  Parts  /.,  //.,  ///.,  3^.  each.  Part  /F.,  5j.  In  one 
Vol.i  French  morocco^  l$s. 
'A  rich  collection  of  humour,  pathos,  grace,  and  poetic  fancy.' — Saturday  Review. 

A  BOOK  OF  FAIRY  TALES  retold  by  S.  BARING  GoULD. 
With  numerous  illustrations  and  initial  letters  by  Arthur  J.  Gaskin. 
Crown  %vo.  Buckram.  6s. 
'  Mr.  Baring  Gould  has  done  a  good  deed,  and  is  deserving  of  gratitude,  in  re- writ- 
ing in  honest,  simple  style  the  old  stories  that  delighted  the  childhood  of  "  our 
fathers  and  grandfathers."  We  do  not  think  he  has  omitted  any  of  our  favourite 
stories,  the  stories  that  are  commonly  regarded  as  merely  "old-fashioned."  As 
to  the  form  of  the  book,  and  the  printing,  which  is  by  Messrs.  Constable,  it  were 
difficult  to  commend  overmuch.' — Saturday  Review. 

YORKSHIRE     ODDITIES     AND     STRANGE    EVENTS. 

Fourth  Edition.     Crown  Svo,    6s. 

STRANGE   SURVIVALS   AND    SUPERSTITIONS.     With 

Illustrations.    By  S.  Baring  Gould.     Crown  Svo.    Second  Edition. 

6s. 
'  We  have  read  Mr.  Baring  Gould's  book  from  beginning  to  end.     It  is  full  of  quaint 
and  various  information,  and  there  is  not  a  dull  page  in  it  '—Notes  and  Queries. 

THE      TRAGEDY      OF      THE      CAESARS:      The 

Emperors  of  the  Julian  and  Claudian  Lines.  With  numerous  Illus- 
trations from  Busts,  Gems,  Cameos,  etc.  By  S.  Baring  Gould, 
Author  of  *  Mehalah,' etc.  Third  Edition.  Royal  Svo.  15J. 
•  A  most  splendid  and  fascinating  book  on  a  subject  of  undying  interest.  The  great 
feature  of  the  book  is  the  use  the  author  has  made  of  the  existing  portraits  of  the 
Caesars,  and  the  admirable  critical  subtlety  he  has  exhibited  in  dealing  with  this 
line  of  research.  It  is  brilliantly  written,  and  the  illustrations  are  supplied  on  a 
scale  of  profuse  magnificence.' — Daily  Chronicle. 
'  The  volumes  will  in  no  sense  disappoint  the  general  reader.  Indeed,  in  their  way, 
there  is  nothing  in  any  sense  so  good  in  English.  .  .  .  Mr.  Baring  Gould  has 
presented  his  narrative  in  such  a  way  as  not  to  make  one  dull  ^■ajgt.'— Athenaeum. 

THE  DESERTS  OF  SOUTHERN  FRANCE.   By  S.  Baring 
Gould,     With    numerous    Illustrations  by  F.   D.   Bedford,  S. 

HuTTON,  etc.     2  vols.     Demy  Svo,     32^. 

This  book  is  the  first  serious  attempt  to  de:.cribe  the  great  barren  tableland  that 
extends  to  the  south  of  Limousin  in  the  Department  of  Aveyron,  Lot,  etc.,  a 
country  of  dolomite  cliffsj  and  canons,  and  subterranean  rivers.  The  region  is 
full  of  prehistoric  and  historic  interest,  relics  of  cave-dwellers,  of  mediaeval 
robbers,  and  of  the  English  domination  and  the  Hundred  Years'  War. 

•His  two  richly-illustrated  volumes   are  full  of  matter  of  interest  to  the  geologist, 
the  archaeologist,  and  the  student  of  history  and  manners.' — Scotsman. 
It  dcils  with  Its  subject  in  &  maiiser  wlxich  rarely  fails  to  arreit  attention.' — Times. 


Messrs.  Methuen's  List  21 


Fiction 

SIX    8HILLINQ    NOVELS 

Marie  Oorelli.  BARABBAS  :  A  DREAM  OF  THE  WORLD'S 
TRAGEDY.  By  Marie  Corelli,  Author  of  '  A  Romance  of  Two 
Worlds,' 'Vendetta,' etc.  Seventeenth  Edition.  Crown  S,vo.  6s. 
•The  tender  reverence  of  the  treatment  and  the  imaginative  beauty  of  the  writing 
have  reconciled  us  to  the  daring  of  the  conception,  and  the_  conviction  is  forced  on 
us  that  even  so  exalted  a  subject  cannot  be  made  too  familiar  to  us,  provided  it  be 
presented  in  the  true  spirit  of  Christian  faith.  The  amplifications  of  the  Scripture 
narrative  are  often  conceived  with  high  poetic  insight,  and  this  "  Dream  of  the 
World's  Tragedy  "  is,  despite  some  trifling  incongruities,  a  lofty  and  not  inade- 
quate paraphrase  of  the  supreme  climax  of  the  inspired  narrative.' — Dublin 
Review. 

Anthony  Hope.  THE  GOD  IN  THE  CAR.  By  Anthony 
Hope,  Author  of  '  A  Change  of  Air,'  etc.  Sixth  Edition.  Crown 
Svo.    6s. 

'  Ruston  is  drawn  with  extraordinary  skill,  and  Maggie  Dennison  with  many  subtle 
strokes.  The  minor  characters  are  clear  cut.  In  short  the  book  is  a  brilliant  one. 
"  The  God  in  the  Car  "  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  works  in  a  year  that  has 
given  us  the  handiwork  of  nearly  all  our  best  living  novtVists.'— Standard. 

'  A  very  remarkable  book,  deserving  of  critical  analysis  impossible  within  our  limit ; 
brilliant,  but  not  superficial ;  well  considered,  but  not  elaborated  ;  constructed 
with  the  proverbial  art  that  conceals,  but  yet  allows  itself  to  be  enjoyed  by 
readers  to  whom  fine  literary  method  is  a  keen  pleasure  ;  true  without  cynicism, 
subtle  without  affectation,  humorous  without  strain,  witty  without  offence,  inevit- 
ably sad,  with  an  unmorose  simplicity.' — T/te  World. 

Anthony  Hope.    A  CHANGE  OF  AIR.    By  Anthony  Hope, 

Author  of  *  The  Prisoner  of  Zenda,'  etc.    Second  Edition.     Crown 

Svo.     6s. 
•A  graceful,  vivacious  comedy,  true  to  human  nature.     The  characters  are  traced 
with  a  masteily  hand.' — Times. 

Anthony  Hope.    A  MAN  OF  MARK.     By  Anthony  Hope. 
Author  of  'The  Prisoner  of  Zenda,'  *  The  God  in  the  Car,*  etc. 
Second  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 
'A  bright,  entertaining,  unusually  able  book,  quite  worthy  of  its  brilliant  anther.'— 

Queen. 
'  Of  all  Mr.  Hope's  books,  "  A  Man  of  Mark  "  is  the  one  which  best  compares  with 
"  The  Prisoner  of  Zenda."    The  two  romances  are  unmistakably  the  work  of  the 
same  writer,  and  he  possesses  a  style  of  narrative  peculiarly  seductive,  piquant, 
comprehensive,  and — his  own.' — National  Observer. 

Conan  Doyle.  ROUND  THE  RED  LAMP.  By  A.  Conan 
Doyle,  Author  of  *  The  White  Company,'  *  The  Adventures  of  Sher- 
lock Holmes,'  etc.  Fourth  Edition.  Crown  Svo.  6s. 
'  The  book  is,  indeed,  composed  of  leaves  from  life,  and  is  far  and  away  the  best 
view  that  has  been  vouchsafed  us  behind  the  scenes  of  the  consulting-room.  It  is 
very  superior  to  "  The  Diary  of  a  late  Physician."  '—Illustrated  London  News. 


22  Messrs.  Methuen's  List 


] 


'Dr.  Doyle  wields  a  canning  pen,  as  all  the  world  now  knows.     His  deft  touch 
seen  to  perfection  in  these  short  sketches— these  "facts  and  fancies  of  medical 
life,"  as  he  calls  them.     Every  page  reveals  the  literary  artist,  the  keen  observer, 
the  trained  delineator  of  human  nature,  its  weal  and  its  woe.' — Freeman's  Journal. 

'  These  tales  are  skilful,  attractive,  and  eminently  suited  to  give  relief  to  the  mind 
of  a  reader  in  quest  of  distraction.' — Athemeunu 

Stanley  Weyman.  UNDER  THE  RED  ROBE.  By  Stanley 
Weyman,  Author  of  *  A  Gentleman  of  France.'  With  Twelve  Illus- 
trations by  R.  Caton  Woodville.  Seventh  Edition.  Crown  %vo.  6^. 
A  cheaper  edition  of  a  book  which  won  instant  popularity.  No  unfavourable  review 
occurred,  and  most  critics  spoke  in  terms  of  enthusiastic  admiration.  The  '  West- 
minster Gazette '  called  it  '  a  book  ofivhich  we  have  read  every  word  for  the  sheer 
pleasure  of  readings  and  which  we  i>ut  down  with  a  pang  that  we  cannot  /orget 
it  all  and  start  again.'  The  'Daily  Chronicle'  said  that  ^  every  one  who  reads 
books  at  all  must  read  this  thrilling  romance,  from  the  first  page  of  which  to  the 
last  the  breathless  reader  is  haled  along.'  It  also  called  the  book  '  an  itispiraiion 
cf  manliness  and  courage.'  The  'Globe  '  called  it  '  a  delightful  tale  of  chivalry 
and  adventure,  vivid  and  dramatic,  with  a  wholesome  modesty  and  reverence 
for  the  highest.' 

Emily  Lawless.  MAELCHO  :  a  Sixteenth  Century  Romance. 
By  the  Hon.  Emily  Lawless,  Author  of  '  Grania,'  *  Hurrish,'  etc. 
Second  Edition.     Crown  %vo.     6s. 

•  A  striking  and  delightful  book.     A  task  something  akin  to  Scott's  may  lie  before 

Miss  Lawless.  If  she  carries  forward  this  series  of  historical  pictures  with  the 
same  brilliancy  and  truth  she  has  already  shown,  and  with  the  increasing  self- 
control  one  may  expect  from  the  genuine  artist,  she  may  do  more  for  her  country 
than  many  a  politician.  Throughout  this  fascinating  book.  Miss  Lawless  has 
produced  something  which  is  not_  strictly  history  and  is  not  strictly  fiction,  but 
nevertheless  possesses  both  imaginative  value  and  historical  insight  in  a  high 
degree.' — Times. 

•  A  really  great  hooV.' —Spectator. 

•  There  is  no  keener  pleasure  in  life  than  the  recognition  of  genius.     Good  work  is 

commoner  than  it  used  to  be,  but  the  best  is  as  rare  as  ever.  All  the  more 
gladly,  therefore,  do  we  welcome  in  "  Maelcho  "  a  piece  of  work  of  the  first  order, 
which  we  do  not  hesitate  to  describe  as  one  of  tlie  most  remarkable  literary 
achievements  of  this  generation.  Miss  Lawless  is  possessed  of  the  very  essence 
of  historical  genius.' — Manchester  Guardian. 

E.  F.  Benson.    DODO  :  A  DETAIL  OF  THE  DAY.  By  E.  F. 

Benson.     Crown  Svo.     Sixteenth  Edition.     6s. 

A  story  of  society  which  attracted  by  its  brilliance  universal  attention.  The  best 
critics  were  cordial  in  their  praise.  The  '  Guardian '  spoke  of  'Dodo'as'«M- 
usually  clever  and  interesting' ',  the  'Spectator'  called  it  '«  delightfully  witty 
sketch  of  society  ; '  the  '  Speaker '  said  the  dialogue  was  *  a  perpetual  feast  of 
epigram  and  paradox'  ;  the  'Athenaeum'  spoke  of  the  author  as  'a  writer 
of  quite  exceptional  ability ' ;  the  '  Academy '  praised  his  '  amazing  cleverness ; ' 
the  'World'  said  the  book  was  *  brilliantly  written' \  and  half-a-dozen  papers 
declared  there  was  '  not  a  dull  page  in  the  book.' 

E.  F.  Benson.  THE  RUBICON.  By  E.  F.  Benson,  Author  of 
*  Dodo.'  Fourth  Edition.  Crown  Svo.  6s, 
Of  Mr.  Benson's  second  n«vel  the  '  Birmingham  Post '  says  it  is  '  well  written, 
stimulating,  unconventional,  and,  in  a  word,  characteristic ' :  the  '  National 
Observer  congratulates  Mr.  Benson  upon  'a«  exceptional  achievement,'  and 
calls  the  'book  '  a  notable  advance  on  his  previous  work.' 


Messrs.  Methuen's  List  23 

M.  M.  Dowie.    GALLIA.    By  M^nie  Muriel  Dowie.    Author 
of 'A  Girl  in  the  Carpathians.*    Second  Edition.     Crown  %vo.     6j. 

'  Thft  style  is  generally  admirable,  the  dialogue  not  seldom  brilliant,  the  situations 
surprising  in  their  freshness  and  originality,  while  the  subsidiary  as  well  as  the 
principal  characters  live  and  move,  and  the  story  itself  is  readable  from  title-page 
to  colophon,' — Saturday  Review. 

'A  very  notable  book  ;  a  very  sympathetically,  at  times  delightfully  written  book.' 
— Daily  Graphic. 

MR.  BARING  GOULD'S  NOVELS 

•  To  say  that  a  book  is  by  the  author  of  "  Mehalah  "  is  to  imply  that  it  contains  a 

story  cast  on  strong  lines,  containing  dramatic  possibilities,  vivid  and  sympathetic 
descriptions  of  Nature,  and  a  wealth  of  ingenious  imagery.' — Speaker. 

'  That  whatever  Mr.  Baring  Gould  writes  is  well  worth  reading,  is  a  conclusion  that 
may  be  verjr  generally  accepted.  His  views  of  life  are  fresh  and  vigorous,  his 
language  pointed  and  characteristic,  the  incidents  of  which  he  makes  use  are 
striking  and  original,  his  characters  are  life-like,  and  though  somewhat  excep- 
tional people,  are  drawn  and  coloured  with  artistic  force.  Add  to  this  that  his 
descriptions  of  scenes  and  scenery  are  painted  with  the  loving  eyes  and  skilled 
hands  of  a  master  of  his  art,  that  he  is  always  fresh  and  never  dull,  and  under 
such  conditions  it  is  no  wonder  that  readers  have  gained  confidence  both  in  his 
power  of  amusing  and  satisfying  them,  and  that  year  by  year  his  popularity 
widens. ' — Court  Circular. 

Baring  Gould.    URITH  :  A  Story  of  Dartmoor.    By  S.  Baring 

Gould.     Third  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 

•  The  author  is  at  his  best.' — Times. 

'  He  has  nearly  reached  the  high  water-mark  of  "  Mehalah."  '—National  Observer. 

Baring  Gould.    IN  THE  ROAR  OF  THE  SEA:   A  Tale  of 
the  Cornish  Coast.     By  S.  Baring  Gould.     Fifth  Edition.     6s. 

Baring  Gould.      MRS.  CURGENVEN   OF   CURGENVEN. 

By  S..  Baring  Gould.     Fourth  Edition.    6s, 

A  story  of  Devon  life.  The  '  Graphic '  speaks  of  it  as  '  a  novel  of  vigorous  huniour  and 
sustained  i^ower^  \  the  'Sussex  Daily  News 'says  that  '  the  swing  of  the  narrative 
is  splendid^ ;  and  the  '  Speaker'  mentions  its  '  bright  imaginative  power.'' 

Baring  Gould.    CHEAP  JACK  ZITA.     By  S.  Baring  Gould. 

Third  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 

A  Romance  of  the  Ely  Fen  District  in  1815,  which  the  'Westminster  Gazette'  calls 
'  a  powerful  drama  of  human  passion ' ;  and  the  '  National  Observer '  '  a  story 
worthy  the  author.' 

Baring  Gould.      THE  QUEEN  OF  LOVE.      By  S.  Baring 
Gould.     Third  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 

The  '  Glasgow  Herald  '  says  that  '  the  scenery  is  ad7nirable,  and  the  dramatic  inci- 
dents are  most  striking.'  The  'Westminster  Gazette'  calls  the  book  *  strong, 
interesting,  and  clever.'  '  Punch '  says  that  ^ you  cannot  put  it  down  until  you 
have  finished  it.'  '  The  Sussex  Daily  News '  says  that  it  '  can  be  heartily  recom- 
mended to  all  who  care  for  cleanly,  energetic,  and  interesting  ficiicr..' 


24  Messrs.  Methuen's  List  1 

Baring  Gould.  KITTY  ALONE.  By  S.  Baring  Gould, 
Author  of  'Mehalah,'  'Cheap  Jack  Zita,'  etc.  Fourth  Edition. 
Crown  Svo.    6s. 

*  A  strong  and  original  story,  teeming  with  graphic  description,  stirring  incident, 

and,  above  all,  with  vivid  and  enthralling  human  interest.'— iJaz'^y  Telegraph. 

•  Brisk,  clever,  keen,  healthy,  humorous,  and  interesting.' — National  Observer. 
'  Full  of  quaint  and  delightful  studies  of  character.' — Bristol  Mercury. 

Mrs.  Oliphant.  SIR  ROBERT'S  FORTUNE.  By  Mrs. 
Oliphant.  Crown  S>vo.  6s. 
'  Full  of  her  own  peculiar  charm  of  style  and  simple,  subtle  character-painting  comes 
her  new  gift,  the  delightful  story  before  us.  The  scene  mostly  lies  in  the  moors, 
and  at  the  touch  of  the  authoress  a  Scotch  moor  becomes  a  living  thing,  strong, 
tender,  beautiful,  and  changeful.  The  book  will  take  rank  among  the  best  of 
Mrs.  Oliphant's  good  stories.'— /'a//  Mall  Gazette. 

W.RNorris.  MATTHEW  AUSTIN.  By  W.  E.  Norris,  Author 
of  *  Mademoiselle  de  Mersac,' etc.  Third  Edition.  Crown  Zvo.  6s. 
'  "Matthew  Austin"  may  safely  be  pronounced  one  of  the  most  intellectually  satis- 
factory and  morally  bracing  novels  of  the  current  year.' — Daily  Telegraph. 
'  Mr.  W.  E.  Norris  is  always  happy  in  his  delineation  of  every-day  experiences,  but 
rarely  has  he  been  brighter  or  breezier  than  in  "  Matthew  Austin."  The  pictures 
are  in  Mr.  Norris's  pleasantest  vein,  while  running  through  the  entire  story  is  a 
felicity  of  style  and  wholesomeness  of  tone  which  one  is  accustomed  to  find  in  the 
novels  of  this  favourite  author.' — Scotsman. 

W.  E.  Norris.  HIS  GRACE.  By  W.  E.  Norris,  Author  of 
*  Mademoiselle  de  Mersac. '  Third  Edition.  Crown  Zvo.  6s. 
'Mr.  Norris  has  drawn  a  really  fine  character  in  the  Duke  of  Hurstbourne,  at  once 
unconventional  and  very  true  to  the  conventionalities  of  life,  weak  and  strong  in 
a  breath,  capable  of  inane  follies  and  heroic  decisions,  yet  not  so  definitely  por- 
trayed as  to  relieve  a  reader  of  the  necessity  of  study  on  his  own  behalf.' — 
A  thenceum. 

W.  E.  Norris.    THE   DESPOTIC   LADY    AND   OTHERS. 

By  W.  E.  Norris,  Author  of  *  Mademoiselle  de  Mersac. '  Crown 
Svo.    6s. 

'A  delightfully  humorous  tale  of  a  converted  and  rehabilitated  rope-dancer.'— 
Glasgow  Herald. 

'  The  ingenuity  of  the  idea,  the  skill  with  which  it  is  worked  out,  and  the  sustained 
humour  of  its  situations,  make  it  after  its  own  manner  a  veritable  little  master- 
piece. ' —  Westminster  Gazette. 

'  A  budget  of  good  fiction  of  which  no  one  will  tire.' —Scotsman. 

'An  extremely  entertaining  volume — the  sprightliest  of  holiday  companions.' — 
Daily  Telegraph. 

Gilbert  Parker.     MRS.  FALCHION.    By  Gilbert  Parker, 

Author  of  *  Pierre  and  His  People.'  Second  Edition.  Crown  Svo.  6s. 
Mr.  Parker's  second  book  has  received  a  warm  welcome.  The  '  Athenaeum '  called 
it '  a  splendid  study  of  character ' ;  the  *  Pall  Mall  Gazette '  spoke  of  the  writing  as 
'  iut  little  behind  anything  that  has  been  done  by  any  writer  of  our  time  ' ;  the 
'  St.  James's  '  called  it  '  a  very  striking  and  admirable  novel' ;  and  the  '  West- 
minster Gazette '  applied  to  it  the  epithet  of  '  distinguished.' 

Gilbert  Parker.    PIERRE  AND  HIS  PEOPLE.    By  Gilbert 
Parker.    Second  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 
'  Stories  happily  conceived  and  finely  executed.     There  is  strength  and  genius  in  Mr. 
Parker's  style.'— Daily  Telegraph. 


Messrs.  Methuen's  List  25 

Gilbert  Parker.  THE  TRANSLATION  OF  A  SAVAGE.  By 
Gilbert  Parker,  Author  of  'Pierre  and  His  People,'  'Mrs. 
Falchion,' etc.     Crown  ^vo.     6s, 

•The  plot  is  original  and  one  difficult  to  work  out ;  but  Mr.  Parker  has  done  it  with 
great  skill  and  delicacy.  The  reader  who  is  not  interested  in  this  original,  fresh, 
and  weil-told  tale  must  be  a  dull  person  indeed.* — Daily  Chronicle. 

'A  strong  and  successful  piece  of  workmanship.  The  portrait  of  Lali,  strong,  digni- 
fied, and  pure,  is  exceptionally  well  drawn.' — Manchester  Guardian. 

'A  very  pretty  and  interesting  story,  and  Mr.  Parker  tells  it  with  much  skill.  The 
story  is  one  to  be  read.' — St.  James's  Gazette. 

Gilbert  Parker.  THE  TRAIL  OF  THE  SWORD.  By  Gilbert 
Parker,  Author  of  *  Pierre  and  his  People,'  etc.  Third  Edition. 
Cro'cun  ovo.     6s. 

'Everybody  with  a  soul  for  romance  will  thoroughly  enjoy  "The  Trail  of  the 
Sword."  ' — .S"^.  Janus' s  Gazette. 

'  A  rousing  and  dramatic  tale.  A  book  like  this,  in  which  swords  flash,  great  sur- 
prises are  undertaken,  and  daring  deeds  done,  in  which  men  and  women  live  and 
love  in  theold  straightforward  passionate  way,  is  a  joy  inexpressible  to  the  re- 
viewer, brain-weary  of  the  domestic  tragedies  and  psychological  puzzles  of  every- 
day fiction  ;  and  we  cannot  but  believe  that  to  the  reader  it  will  bring  refreshment 
as  welcome  and  as  keen.' — Daily  Chronicle. 

Gilbert  Parker.  WHEN  VALMOND  CAME  TO  PONTIAC  : 
The  Story  of  a  Lost  Napoleon.  By  Gilbert  Parker.  Second 
Edition.  Crown  Svo.  6s, 
'  Here  we  find  romance — real,  breathing,  living  romance,  but  it  runs  flush  with  our 
own  times,  level  with  our  own  feelings.  Not  here  can  we  complain  of  lack  of 
inevitableness  or  homogeneity.  The  character  of  Valmond  is  drawn  unerringly  ; 
his  career,  brief  as  it  is,  is  placed  before  us  as  convincingly  as  history  itself.  The 
book  must  be  read,  we  may  say  re-read,  for  any  one  thoroughly  to  appreciate 
Mr.  Parker's  delicate  touch  and  innate  sympathy  with  humanity.'— /*«//  Mall 
Gazette. 

Arthur  Morrison.  TALES  OF  MEAN  STREETS.  By  Arthur 

Morrison.     Third  Edition.     Crown  Svo.    6s. 

'  Told  with  consummate  art  and  extraordinary  detail.  He  tells  a  plain,  unvarnished 
tale,  and  the  very  truth  of  it  makes  for  beauty.  In  the  true  humanity  of  the  book 
lies  its  justification,  the  permanence  of  its  interest,  and  its  indubitable  triumph.' — 
A  thencBunt. 

•A  great  book.  The  author's  method  is  amazingly  efi'ective,  and  produces  a  thrilling 
sense  of  reality.  The  writer  lays  upon  us  a  master  hand.  "The  book  is  simply 
appalling  and  irresistible  in  its  interest.  It  is  humorous  also ;  without  humour 
it  would  not  make  the  mark  it  is  certain  to  make.' — World, 

Julian  Corbett.  A  BUSINESS  IN  GREAT  WATERS.  By 
Julian  Corbett,  Author  of  *For  God  and  Gold,'  'Kophetua 
XIIIth.,*etc.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 

'There  is  plenty  of  incident  and  movement  in  this  romance.  It  is  interesting  as  a 
novel  framed  in  an  historical  setting,  and  it  is  all  the  more  worthy  of  attention 
from  the  lover  of  romance  as  being  absolutely  free  from  the  morbid,  the  frivolous, 
and  the  ultra-sexual.  —Athenceunt. 

'  A  stirring  Ule  of  naval  adventure  during  the  Gre»t  French  War.  The  book  is  full 
of  f'lctttresque  and  attractive  <:\\7irxanr%.'  —  Cla<;^ow  Herald. 


26  Messrs.  Methuen's  List 

Robert  Ban.  IN  THE  MIDST  OF  ALARMS.  By  Robert 
Barr,  Author  of  *  From  Whose  Bourne,'  etc,  Second  Edition. 
Crown  2>vo.     6s. 

'  A  book  which  has  abundantly  satisfied  us  by  its  capital  humour.' — Daily  Chronicle. 
'  Mr.  Barr  has  achieved  a  triumph  whereof  he  has  every  reason  to  be  proud.' — Pall 

Mall  Gazette. 
•There  is  a  quaint  thoughtor  a  good  joke  on  nearly  every  page.     The  studies  of 

character  are  carefully  finished,  and  linger  in  the  memory,' — Black  and  White. 
'Distinguished  for  kindly  feeling,  genuine  humour,  and  really  graphic  portraiture.' 

— Sussex  Daily  News, 
'A  delightful  romance,  with  experiences  strange  and  exciting.      The  dialogue  is 

always  bright  and  witty;  the  scenes  are  depicted  briefly  and  effectively;  and 

there  is  no  incident  from  first  to  last  that  one  would  wish  to  have  omitted.'— 

Scotsman, 

Mrs.  Pinsent.  CHILDREN  OF  THIS  WORLD.  By  Ellen 
F.  Pinsent,  Author  of  *  Jenny's  Case.'     Crown  Svo.     6s. 

'  There  is  much  clever  writing  in  this  book.  The  story  is  told  in  a  workmanlike 
manner,  and  the  characters  conduct  themselves  like  average  human  beings.'— 
Daily  News. 

'  Full  of  interest,  and,  with  a  large  measure  of  present  excellence,  gives  ample  pro- 
mise of  splendid  y/ork.'— Birmingham  Gazette, 

'  Mrs.  Pinsent's  new  novel  has  plenty  of  vigour,  variety,  and  good  writing.  There 
are  certainty  of  purpose,  strength  of  touch,  and  clearness  oi y'lsion.'—Athenceum. 

Clark  RusseU.  MY  DANISH  SWEETHEART.  By  W. 
Clark  Russell,  Author  of  *  The  Wreck  of  the  Grosvenor,'  etc. 
Illustrated.     Third  Edition.     Crown  Svo,     6s. 

Pryce.     TIME  AND  THE  WOMAN.    By  Richard  Pryce, 

Author  of  •  Miss  Maxwell's  Affections,'  *  The  Quiet  Mrs.  Fleming,' 
etc.     Second  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     6s. 
'  Mr.  Pryce's  work  recalls  the  style  of  Octave  Feuillet,  by  its  clearness,  conciseness, 
its  literary  reserve. ' — A  thenceutn. 

Mrs.  Watson.  THIS  MAN'S  DOMINION.  By  the  Author 
of  *  A  High  Little  World. '  Second  Edition.  Crown  Svo.  6s. 
•  It  is  not  a  book  to  be  read  and  forgotten  on  a  railway  journey,  but  it  is  rather  a 
study  of  the  perplexing  problems  of  life,  to  which  the  reflecting  mind  will 
frequently  return,  even  though  the  reader  does  not  accept  the  solutions  which  the 
author  suggests.  In  these  days,  when  the  output  of  merely  amusing  novels  is  so 
overpowering,  this  is  no  slight  praise.  There  is  an  underlying  depth  in  the  story 
which  reminds  one,  in  a  lesser  degree,  of  the  profundity  of  George  Eliot,  and 
"  This  Man's  Dominion  "  is  by  no  means  a  novel  to  be  thrust  aside  as  exhausted  at 
one  perusal.' — Dundee  Advertiser. 

Marriott  Watson.  DIOGENES  OF  LONDON  and  other 
Sketches.  By  H.  B.  Marriott  Watson,  Author  of  'The  Web 
of  the  Spider.'  Crown  Svo.  Buckram.  6s. 
'  By  all  those  who  delight  in  the  uses  of  words,  who  rate  the  exercise  of  prose  above 
the  exercise  of  verse,  who  rejoice  in  all  proofs  of  its  delicacy  and  its  strength,  who 
believe  that  English  prose  is  chief  among  the  moulds  of  thought,  by  these 
Mr.  Marriott  Watson's  book  will  be  welcomed.'— Nafiona/  Ol-ferv«r. 


Messrs.  Methuen's  List  27 

Gilchrist.   THE  STONE  DRAGON.    By  Murray  Gilchrist. 

Crovm  8vo.    Buckram,    6s. 
'  The  author's  faults  are  atoned  for  by  certain  positive  and  admirable  merits.    The 
romances  have  not  their  counterpart  in  modern  literature,  and  to  read  them  is  a 
oniqne  experience.'— iVa^rtWrt/  Obsemer. 

THREE-AND-SiXPENNY    NOVELS 

Edna  LyaU.  DERRICK  VAUGHAN,  NOVELIST.  By 
Edna  Lyall,  Author  of  'Donovan,'  etc.  Forty-first  Thousand. 
Crown  Svo.     3^.  6dc 

Baring  Gould.  ARM  I  NELL:  A  Social  Romance.  By  S. 
Baring  Gould.     New  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     p.  6d. 

Baring  Gould.  MARGERY  OF  QU ETHER,  and  other  Stories. 
By  S.  Baring  Gould.     Crown  Svo.     3^.  6d. 

Baring  Gould.  JACQUETTA,  and  other  Stories.  By  S.  Baring 
Gould.     Crown  Svo.     35.  6d. 

Miss   Benson.     SUBJECT   TO  VANITY.     By   Margaret 

Benson.     With  numerous  Ilhistrations.     Second  Edition.     Crown 

Svo.     35.  6d. 
'  A  charming  little  book  about  household  pets  by  a  daughter  of  the  Archbishop  of 

Canterbury. ' — Speaker, 
'A  delightful  collection  of  studies  of  animal  nature.     It  is  very  seldom  that  we  get 

anything  so  perfect  in  its  kind.  .  .  .  The  illustrations  are  clever,  and  the  whole 

book  a  singularly  delightful  one.' — Guardian. 
'Humorous  and  sentimental  by  turns,  Miss  Benson  always  manages  to  interest  us 

in  her  pets,  and  all  who  love  animals  will  appreciate  her  book,  not  only  for  their 

sake,  but  quite  as  much  for  its  o^-n.'— Times. 
'All  lovers  of  animals  should  read  Miss  Benson's  book.      For  sympathetic  under- 
standing, humorous  criticism,  and  appreciative  observation  she  certainly  has  not 

her  equal.' — Manchester  Guardian. 

Gray.    ELS  A.    A  Novel.    By  E.  M 'Queen  Gray.    Crown  Svo. 

'  A  charming  novel.    The  characters  are  not  only  powerful  sketches,  bat  minutely 
and  carefully  finished  portraits.' — Guardian. 

J.  H.  Pearce.    JACO  TRELOAR.    By  J.  H.  Pearce,  Author  of 
*  Esther  Pentreath. '    New  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     3^.  6d. 
The  'Spectator'  speaks  of  Mr.  Pearce  z^*  a  writer  of  exceptional  power' '^  the  'Daily 
Telegraph'  calls  the  book  ^powerful  and  ^''-^-'— "— '- '  •  '^^  <  R;.-rr,;„rrVi,r„  p«c»' 
asserts  that  it  is  'a  novel  of  high  quality. 


X.  L.  AUT  DIABOLUS  AUT  NIHIL,  and  Other  Stories. 
By  X.  L.     Crown  Svo.     3J.  td. 

'  Distinctly  original  and  in  the  highest  degree  imaginative.  The  conception  is  almost 
as  lofty  as  Milton's.' — Spectator. 

*  Original  to  a  degree  of  originality  that  may  be  called  primitive — a  kind  of  passion- 
ate directness  that  absolutely  absorbs  us.' — Saturday  Review. 

'  Of  powerful  interest.  There  is  something  startlingly  original  in  the  treatment  of  the 
themes.    The  terrible  realism  lear^is  no  doubt  of  the  author's  power.' — A  thentrvnt. 


28  Messrs.  Methuen's  List 

O'Grady.  THE  COMING  OF  CUCULAIN.  A  Romance  of 
the  Heroic  Age  of  Ireland.  By  Standish  O'Grady,  Author  of 
*  Finn  and  his  Companions,'  etc.  Illustrated  by  Murray  Smith. 
Croivn  Svo.  3^.  6d. 

'The  suggestions  of  mystery,  the  rapid  and  exciting  action,  are  superb  poetic  eflFects.' 
— Speaker. 

'  For  light  and  colour  it  resembles  nothing  so  much  as  a  Swiss  dawn.' — Manchester 
Guardian. 

•A  romance  extremely  fascinating  and  admirably  veWknit.'—Saturday  Review. 

Constance  Smith.  A  CUMBERER  OF  THE  GROUND. 
By  Constance  Smith,  Author  of  '"The  Repentance  of  Paul  Went- 
worth,'  etc.     Nitzu  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     p.  6d. 

Author  of  'Vera.'     THE   DANCE  OF  THE  HOURS.     By 

the  Author  of  '  Vera.'     Crown  Svo.     35.  6d. 
Bsmh  Stuart.     A  WOMAN  OF  FORTY.    By  Esm^  Stuart, 
Author  of  'Muriel's   Marriage,'  *Virginie's   Husband,*  etc.      New 
Edition.     Crown  Svo.     35.  6d, 
'The  story  is  well  written,  and  some  of  the  scenes  show  great  dramatic  power.'— 
Daily  Chronicle. 

Fenn.      THE   STAR   GAZERS.      By  G.    Manville    Fenn, 
Author  of  •  Eli's  Children,'  etc.     New  Edition.     Cr.  Svo.     ^s.  6d. 
'  A  stirring  romzncc.'— Western  Morning  News. 

'  Told  with  all  the  dramatic  power  for  which  Mr.  Fenn  Is  con%^\C\xou%.^— Bradford 
Observer. 

Dickinson.     A  VICAR'S  WIFE.     By   Evelyn   Dickinson. 

Crown  Svo.     y.  6d. 

Prowse.  THE  POISON  OF  ASPS.  By  R.  Orton  Prowse. 
Crown  Svo.     3^.  6d. 

Grey.     THE    STORY    OF    CHRIS.     By  Rowland  Grey. 

Crown  Svo.     $s. 

Lynn  Linton.  THE  TRUE  HISTORY  OF  JOSHUA  DAVID- 
SON, Christian  and  Communist.  By  E.  Lynn  Linton.  Eleventh 
Edition.     Post  Svo.     is. 


HALF-CROWN     NOVELS 

A  Series  of  Novels  by  popular  Authors. 


2/6 


1.  THE  PLAN  OF  CAMPAIGN.    By  F.  Mabel  Robinson. 

2.  DISENCHANTMENT.    By  F.  Mabel  Robinson. 

3.  MR.  BUTLER'S  WARD.    By  F.  Mabel  Robinson. 

4.  HOVENDEN,  V.C.    By  F.  Mabel  Robinson. 

5.  ELI'S  CHILDREN.  By  G.  Manville  Fenn. 

6.  A  DOUBLE  KNOT.    By  G.  Manville  Fenn. 

7.  DISARMED.    By  M.  Betham  Edwards 


Messrs.  Methuen's  List  29 

8.  A  LOST  ILLUSION.    By  Leslie  Keith. 

9.  A  MARRIAGE  AT  SEA.    By  W.  Clark  Russell. 

10.  IN  TENT  AND  BUNGALOW.    By  the  Author  of  *  Indian 

Idylls.' 

11.  MY  STEWARDSHIP.    By  E.  M'Queen  Gray. 

12.  A  REVEREND  GENTLEMAN.    By  J.  M.  Cobban. 

13.  A   DEPLORABLE  AFFAIR.      By  W.  E.   NORRIS. 

14.  JACK'S  FATHER.     By  W.  E.  NORRIS. 

15.  A  CAVALIER'S  LAD  YE.    By  Mrs.  Dicker. 

16.  JIM  B. 


Books  for  Boys  and  Girls 

A  Series  of  Books  by  well-known  Authors^  well  illustrated. 
Crown  %vo. 


3l6 


1.  THE  ICELANDER'S  SWORD.    By  S.  Baring  Gould. 

2.  TWO   LITTLE   CHILDREN  AND   CHING.     By  Edith 

E.  CUTHELL. 

3.  TODDLEBEN'S  HERO.    By  M.  M.  Blake. 

4.  ONLY  A  GUARD-ROOM  DOG.    By    Edith  E.  Cuthell. 

5.  THE  DOCTOR  OF  THE  JULIET.    By  Harry  Colling- 

WOOD. 

6.  MASTER  ROCKAFELLAR'S  VOYAGE.     By  W.   Clark 

Russell. 

7.  SYD  BELTON  :    Or,  The  Boy  who  would  not  go  to  Sea. 

By  G.  Manville  Fenn. 

The  Peacock  Library 

A   Series  of  Books  for   Girls   by  well-known    Authors^  /  • 

handsomely  bound  in  blue  and  silver^  and  well  illustrated.        '^  /  fj 
Crown  Svo.  ^  / 

1.  A  PINCH  OF  EXPERIENCE.     By  L.  B.  Walford. 

2.  THE  RED  GRANGE.     By  Mrs.  Molesworth. 

3.  THE  SECRET  OF  MADAME  DE  MONLUC.      By  the 

Author  of  *MdIe  Mori.' 

4.  DUMPS.     By  Mrs.  Parr,  Author  of  'Adam  and  Eve.' 

5.  OUT  OF  THE  FASHION.    By  L.  T.  Meade. 

6.  A  GIRL  OF  THE  PEOPLE.    By  L.  T.  Meade. 

7.  HEPSY  GIPSY.     By  L.  T.  Meade.     2s.  6d. 

8.  THE  HONOURABLE  MISS.    By  L.  T.  Meade. 

9.  MY  LAND  OF  BEULAH.    By  Mrs.  Leith  Adams. 


30  Messrs.  Methuen's  List 

University    Extension   Series 

A  scries  of  books  on  historical,  literary,  and  scientific  subjects,  suitable 
for  extension  students  and  home  reading  circles.  Each  volume  is  com- 
jilcte  in  itself,  and  the  subjects  are  treated  by  competent  writers  in  a 
broad  and  philosophic  spirit. 

Edited  by  J.  E.  SYMES,  M.A., 

Principal  of  University  College,  Nottingham. 

Crown  Svo.     Price  {with  some  exceptions)  is.  6d. 

The  following  volumes  are  reedy : — 

THE  INDUSTRIAL  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.  By  H.  de 
B.  GiBBiNS,  M.A.,  late  Scholar  of  Wadham  College,  Oxon.,  Cobden 
Prizeman.  Fourth  Edition.  With  Maps  and  Plans,  y. 
'A  compact  and  clear  storj' of  our  industrial  development.  A  study  of  this  concise 
but  luminous  book  cannot  fail  to  give  the  reader  a  clear  insight  into  the  principal 
phenomena  of  our  industrial  history.  The  editor  and  publishers  are  to  be  congrat- 
ulated on  this  first  volume  of  their  venture,  and  we  shall  look  with  expectant 
interest  fur  the  succeeding  volumes  of  the  series.  —University  Extension  Journal. 

A  HISTORY  OF  ENGLISH  POLITICAL  ECONOMY.     By 
L.  L.  Price,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Oriel  College,  Oxon. 

PROBLEMS  OF   POVERTY  :  An  Inquiry  into  the  Industrial 
Conditions  of  the  Poor.     By  J.  A.  IIobson,  M.A.     Second  Edition. 

VICTORIAN  POETS.    By  A.  Sharp. 

THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION.    By  J.  E.  Symes,  M.A. 

PSYCHOLOGY.    By  F.  S.  Granger,  M.A.,  Lecturer  in  Philo- 
sophy at  University  College,  Nottingham. 

THE  EVOLUTION  OF  PLANT  LIFE  :  Lower  Forms.    By 
G.  Masser,  Kew  Gardens.      With  Illustrations, 

AIR  AND  WATER.     Professor  V.  B.  Lewes,  M.A.    Illustrated. 

THE  CHEMISTRY  OF  LIFE  AND  HEALTH.      By  C.  W. 
KiMMiNS,  M.A.  Camb.     Illustrated. 

THE  MECHANICS  OF  DAILY  LIFE.     By  V.  P.  SELLS,  M.A. 

Illustrated. 

ENGLISH  SOCIAL  REFORMERS.    H.  DE  B.  GiBBiNS,  M.A. 

ENGLISH    TRADE    AND    FINANCE    IN   TPIE   SEVEN- 
TEENTH CENTURY.    By  W.  A.  S.  Hewins,  B.A. 

THE  CHEMISTRY  OF  FIRE.     The  Elementary  Principles  of 

Chemistry.    By  M.  M.  Pattison  MuiR,  M.A.    Illustrated. 

A  TEXT-BOOK  OF  AGRICULTURAL  BOTANY.   By  M.  C. 
Potter,  M.A.,  F.L.S.     Illustrated.     3J.  dd. 


Messrs.  Methuen's  List  31 

THE  VAULT    OF    HEAVEN.      A    Popular   Introduction    to 
Astronomy.     By  R.  A.  Gregory.      With  numerous  Illustrations. 

METEOROLOGY.    The   Elements  of  Weather  and   Climale. 
By  H.  N.  Dickson,  F.R.S.E.,  F.R.  Met.  Soc.    Illustrated. 

A   MANUAL   OF   ELECTRICAL   SCIENCE.     By  GEORGE 
J.  BURCH,  M.A.      With  numerous  Illustrations,     y. 

THE  EARTH.     An  Introduction  to  Physiography.     By  Evan 
Small,  M.A.     Illustrated. 

INSECT   LIFE.     By  F.  W.  THEOBALD,  M.A.     Illustrated. 

ENGLISH  POETRY  FROM  BLAKE  TO  BROWNING.    By 

W.  M.  Dixon,  M.A. 
ENGLISH    LOCAL   GOVERNMENT.      By  E  Jenks,  M.A., 

Professor  of  Law  at  University  College,  Liverpool. 

Social  Questions  of  To-day 

Edited  by  H.  de  B.  GIBBINS,  M.A. 

Crown  Svo.     2s.  6d.  ^  I  /^ 

A  series  of  volumes  upon  those  topics  of  social,  economic,         ^  I  v^ 
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The  following  Volumes  of  the  Series  are  ready  : — 
TRADE!  UNIONISM— NEW  AND  OLD.     By  G.   Howell, 
Author  of  '  The  Conflicts  of  Capital  and  Labour.'    Second  Edition. 

THE  CO-OPERATIVE   MOVEMENT   TO-DAY.      By  G.  J. 
Holyoake,  Author  of  *  The  History  of  Co-operation.' 

MUTUAL  THRIFT.      By  Rev.  J.  Frome  WILKINSON,  M.A., 

Author  of  '  The  Friendly  Society  Movement.' 
PROBLEMS  OF  POVERTY  :  An  Inquiry  into  the  Industrial 

Conditions  of  the  Poor.     By  J.  A.  Hobson,  M.A.     Second  Edition. 
THE  COMMERCE    OF   NATIONS.      By   C.   F.   Bastable, 

M.A.,  Professor  of  Economics  at  Trinity  College,  Dublin. 

THE  ALIEN  INVASION.    By  W.  H.Wilkins,  B.A.,  Secretary 
to  the  Society  for  Preventing  the  Immigration  of  Destitute  Aliens. 

THE  RURAL  EXODUS.    By  P.  Anderson  Graham. 
LAND  NATIONALIZATION.    By  Harold  Cox,  B.A. 

A    SHORTER    WORKING    DAY.      By   H.   de    B.    Gibbins 
and  R.  A.  IIadfield,  of  the  Ilecla  Works,  Sheffield. 


32  Messrs.  Methuen's  List 

BACK  TO  THE  LAND:  An  Inquiry  into  the  Cure  for  Rural 

Depopulation,     By  H.  E.  MoORE. 
TRUSTS,  POOLS  AND  CORNERS  :  As  affecting  Commerce 

and  Industry.     By  J.  Stephen  Jeans,  M.R.I.,  F.S.S. 
THE  FACTORY  SYSTEM.    By  R.  Cooke  Taylor. 
THE    STATE    AND     ITS    CHILDREN.       By    GERTRUDE 

Tdckwell. 
WOMEN'S  WORIC     By   Lady   Dilke,   Miss  Bulley,  and 

Miss  Whitley. 
MUNICIPALITIES   AT  WORK.     The  Municipal   Policy  of 

Six    Great   Towns,    and    its    Influence    on   their   Social    Welfare. 

By  Frederick  Dolman.      With  an   Introduction  by  Sir  John 

HuTTON,  late  Chairman  of  the  London  County  Council.     Crown  Svo. 

Cloth.     2s.  6d. 

Classical  Translations 

Edited  by  H.  F.  FOX,  M.A.,  Fellow  and  Tutor  of  Brasenose 
College,  Oxford. 

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Crown  Svo.     Finely  printed  and  bound  in  blue  buckram, 

CICERO— De  Oratore  I.  Translated  by  E.  N.  P.  MoOR,  M.A., 
Assistant  Master  at  Clifton.     3J.  ^d. 

yESCHYLU3 — Agamemnon,  Choephoroe,  Eumenides.  Trans- 
lated by  Lewis  Campbell,  LL.D.,  late  Professor  of  Greek  at  St. 
Andrews.     5^. 

LUCIAN— Six  Dialogues  (Nigrinus,  Icaro-Menippus,  The  Cock, 
The  Ship,  The  Parasite,  The  Lover  of  P'alsehood).  Translated  by 
S.  T.  Irwin,  M.A.,  Assistant  Master  at  Clifton;  late  Scholar  of 
Exeter  College,  Oxford,     y.  dd. 

SOPHOCLES— Electra  and  Ajax.  Translated  by  E.  D.  A. 
Morshead,  M.A.,  late  Scholar  of  New  College,  Oxford  j  Assistant 
Master  at  Winchester.     2s.  6d. 

TACITUS— Agricola  and  Germania.  Translated  by  R.  B. 
Townshend,  late  Scholar  of  Trinity  College,  Cambridge.     2s.  6d, 

CICERO— Select  Orations  (Pro  Milone,  Pro  Murena,  Philippic  11., 
In  Catilinam).  Translated  by  H.  E.  D.  Blakiston,  M.A.,  Fellow 
and  Tutor  of  Trinity  College,  Oxford.     5^. 


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